And so the Sea began to Sing
by darkladywolf
Summary: When a mission goes horribly wrong, Sakura finds herself in a whole new world full of magic, Djinn and Metal Vessels. Add to that an imperialistic Empire, a dark High Priest and a miraculous purple-haired King...Sakura is in for one hell of a ride...*I do not own Naruto and/or Magi*
1. Prologue

'_Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!' _

Sakura glanced frantically between the shackles binding her to a stone altar and the figures standing in a circle around her chanting words she could not understand and rhythmically tapping their staves on the hard ground. She didn't know who they were or what they wanted. She couldn't even decipher whether they were men or women through their heavy grey robes. Even their faces were covered by a piece of white fabric.

Gritting her teeth, she began rotating her hands in their restraints, ignoring the flare of pain that erupted in her already damaged and bleeding wrists. _'I need to get out of here! And fast!' _

She hissed in pain when the figure that appeared to be leading the group dug the tip of a dagger in the skin of the inner part of her arm under the joint. It was a rather dangerous spot and one wrong move would be enough to cause profuse bleeding and eventually death. However, it appeared that this person knew what they were doing. She wouldn't die but it would certainly cause her pain. A gasp left her lips when they started dragging the dagger across her skin. Blood began to pour from the small but deeps scars darkening the grey stone she was shackled to. They resembled an octagram, she vaguely noted, but in her frantic state she couldn't be sure.

'_I need to get out of here! I just hope that Ino and Tenten managed to get to safety.' _She didn't even want to think of the possibility that any kind of harm had come to her friends, especially since she wasn't there to help them. She rotated her hands harder in their restraints but the rational part of her brain told her that it would do her no good. Whatever these shackles were made of was eating away at her chakra-she could feel it slipping away from her like water through her fingers-or maybe it was the figures' doing. Whatever the case, all roads led to one thing; she had to get out before she ran out. She tried to summon whatever chakra she had left in her body in hopes of breaking the chains holding her in place. A horrified expression overtook her features when she realized that she couldn't. Damn it, she couldn't! Something was preventing her from accessing her chakra.

Her heart was pounding in her ears and she felt herself grow dizzy. The blood loss was staring to get to her and she was but a few steps away from chakra depletion. Suddenly, the chanting of the mysterious figures standing around her began to grow louder and it was with horror that she realized that as their voices began echoing around them, the rate at which they were absorbing her chakra increased drastically.

'_H-How?' _Damn it Tsunade! She knew they shouldn't have trusted that strange man when he appeared in Tsunade's office a couple of weeks ago requesting three of her kunoichi to carry out a mission. The checked mask and the cloth covering his face should have set them off, not to mention how adamant he was about not letting any males participate in the mission.

'_N-No! I need to stay awake!'_ And yet her eyelids felt heavy and no matter how much she tried she couldn't help but feel her consciousness slowly slipping away. Through half-lidded eyes she saw the figures inch closer to the altar with their staves raised. Their chanting grew louder as they approached. They kept repeating the same phrase over and over again and she strained her ears to make it out.

"Al-Thamen!"

"Al-Thamen!"

"Al-Thamen!"

"Al-Thamen!"

'_Al-Thamen? What is that supposed to mean? Who are these people? What do they want?' _

She noticed with alarm that they were bringing their staves even closer to the point that their oddly-shaped ends were almost touching right above her body. The moment they came in contact Sakura wished they had killed her and be done with it. Excruciating pain that she never knew existed exploded in her stomach and surged through her veins like liquid fire. She arched her back and screamed as the pain spread from her toes to her fingertips.

It was something else though that made her tremble in fear. A dark energy was gathering around her. It was a presence so malevolent and dark that it almost drowned her. There were no words to describe it. Even Sasuke's curse mark paled in comparison to the pure evilness of this gathering darkness. It felt like…a void. An endless void and darkness that no light could pierce through. It was so overwhelming that for a moment she forgot about the pain. She forgot about the figures around her and the shackles trapping her to the altar. All she concentrate on was getting away from that _venomous _energy.

But no matter how much she tried, she couldn't get away. The dark energy began to build up around the ends of their staves and as their chanting increased so did the pain in Sakura's body. At some point it became so much that even keeping her eyes open became painful.

The dark energy continued to grow and expand swallowing everything around her. One by one the figures started to disappear and so did the walls and the altar on which she was laying. All she could see was dark and despair filled her being. Soon the darkness started to engulf her and suddenly she was drowning. Drowning and chocking and going crazy. She tried to breath but she realized there was no air, only evil.

The scars the leader had carved into her skin began to throb and burn painfully.

'_So much pain…I can't take it….I can't take it anymore….' _

With a last blood-curdling scream, Sakura let go. She simply let go. Of everything. Of the pain, of the darkness, of her grip on reality. She simply let go.

And suddenly she was falling. Falling in an abyss of burning stars and swirling colors. Was this supposed to be her end? Strange…She had always thought that she would die in battle like all those great shinobi before her. They would put her name on the memorial stone and her family would remember her as a great kunoichi who died with fire in her heart and the wind at her back. It was such a shame that it wouldn't be coming true…..

There was an explosion of color and light and at last, the last remnants of her consciousness slipped away….

XxxOxOxOxxX

'_Damn…..My head is pounding. Did I get crushed by a boulder or something?' _

Slowly sitting up, Sakura winced as intense pain shot through her back. Hell, it hurt everywhere and as luck would have it, she had no chakra left to heal herself. She looked around through half-lidded eyes, trying to understand where she was or how she got there in the first place.

It was dark outside and apparently she was sprawled in an alley, her back half leaning on a wall with the moon and a soft red glow that she guessed was a fire coming through the entrance of the alley as her only light. She looked at herself. Her clothes were tattered and bloodied and there was a number of bruises littering her skin. _'Shit...What the hell did I do?' _Her limbs hurt like hell but there were no broken bones from what she could tell. Her eyes fell on the octagram carved in the skin of her arm and suddenly memories of what transpired a few hours ago-or was it a day? Maybe a week?-flooded her mind.

'_Now I remember….What the hell did those bastards do?' _

She looked around and with what little energy she had pushed herself off the wall. With shaky legs, she walked to the opening of the alley and stared at the completely unfamiliar surroundings. She couldn't recall ever being in this place or even hearing about it. She couldn't tell whether she was in a village or a town. The streets were dirty and the people coming and going were dressed in rags. Their faces were hollow and pale and their eyes were scared. There was a certain uneasiness in their stride and more often than not they looked around as if expecting someone to attack them. _'What happened to these people?'_ There was also something really strange going on with their chakra…With a groan she limped out of the alley and carefully approached an old man that was leaning against the wall of a building 15 feet away from her. He seemed worn and dangerously thin for his age and his beard was dirty and unkempt.

"Excuse me? Sir? Ojisan?"

The man raised his tired gaze and regarded her with confusion and a touch of fear.

'_Fear?'_ "Could you please tell me where I am?"

"Are you new here lass?" His voice sounded raw and she guessed that he hadn't had water for a while but he looked at her kindly and even with a bit of sympathy.

"Sort of…." she answered and tried to smile at the old man.

"Well then lass, welcome to Balbadd."

**TBC**

**Hell yeah! Here is the prologue to my upcoming Naruto/Magi crossover! I intended to finish my other stories before starting this one but I just couldn't help it! I mean, I could hear it calling me to write! Anyway, I hope this prologue has at least piqued your interest. It's going to take me a while to update (but not too long!) since I have to update two other stories but I promise I'll try to do so as soon as possible. The pairing hasn't been decided yet so you can still vote your preferred one. The poll's on my profile so please spare a couple of minutes to vote. I hope you enjoyed this! READ AND REVIEW!**

**Lots of love! **


	2. Chapter 2

Sakura sighed as she hugged her knees closer to her body in order to keep warm. Nights in Balbadd were colder than she had anticipated and the worn cloak she had taken from two thugs that had tried to rob her a couple of nights ago did little to keep the cold wind from hitting her skin. She pulled the faded-it must have been black at some point-fabric tighter around her and buried her face in her arms.

During the nights, when the people had retreated to their little abodes and the lights of the fires had dimmed, she had time to think. A week in Balbadd had been enough for her to realize the miserable state this country was in. Demolished buildings, starving people, little to no trade, slavery…..Fear, destruction, _death_…

'_How could their king allow something like this happen to his people?' _

She couldn't even imagine how hard it was for these people to keep on living, knowing that their own leader didn't care enough for them to reverse this sorry state they were in. Her mind flew to Tsunade and she felt a pang of pain as a feeling of homesickness entered her heart. Questions plagued her as her treacherous mind conjured up every possible scenario that could have gone wrong with Ino and Tenten. Were they alright? Were they hurt? Had they reached the village safely? Was it possible that they too had been sent to this place? So many questions and no answers….

Sakura shook her head to clear her mind. She had more pressing matters to think about; matters that couldn't be put off. The dark clouds of a revolt were gathering above Balbadd at an alarmingly ominous rate and she feared that she would be caught in the middle of it. It was an irrational fear, really. After all, she could just wait until things calmed down before making her next move. However, a gut feeling told her that there was much more to this situation than met the eye. And while she was nowhere near believing in Fate as adamantly as Neji used to, she couldn't help but feel that there had to be a reason why she had ended up here of all places.

With riots rising all over Balbadd, things were taking a turn for the worse and Sakura could tell from experience that it wouldn't get better anytime soon. With the King turning a blind eye to the suffering of his own people and this revolutionary group on the loose, Balbadd was a ticking bomb. Word of the Fog Troupe had reached even her ears a couple of days ago while she was walking around the harbor in search of food and she had to admit that it didn't sit well with her….at all. Chivalrous Thieves or not, they were causing trouble for the people of Balbadd and Gods knew they already had enough. While she had no right to doubt that they had good intentions and a cause, their constant friction with the King could only make things worse. Then there was also the matter of the third prince of Balbadd who had been challenging King Ahbmad's reign….

'_Just what I needed. Living through one war only to land in the middle of another….' _

Her eyelids felt heavy and her back was sore from resting it against the stone wall. Sleep was something that she didn't get much of these past few days and it was a miracle on its own that she could still stand. While she had been forced to heal her major injuries to avoid bleeding out she had decided that it would be better if she kept her chakra a secret and conserved it for later. Something told her that she would be needing it…..And soon…

She was about to lose herself to the blissful realm of dreams when the yelling began and she was abruptly brought out of her daze. She quickly pulled up the hood of her cloak-she didn't need any unwanted attention-and gripped one of the few kunai she still had on her person. With careful calculated steps she made her way to the opening of the alley and her eyes widened when she noticed a large crowd of people flocking around a young lad with blond hair and golden eyes. She looked up at him as he stood on a small bridge above a narrow canal. They were asking him questions but she couldn't hear what they were saying from where she stood. She inched closer and she felt a feeling of pity settle at the pit of her stomach when she recognized the look of despair on his face. On an impulse, she pushed herself forward and made her way through the crowd. Call it sympathy or kindness or even maternal instinct, but in an instant she found herself standing in front of the startled boy in a protective manner.

"Oi, leave the lad alone. Can't you see you're choking him?" Her voice was flat and even but anyone would have been able to hear the command in her words.

A wave of protests reached her ears but she paid them little mind. Couldn't they see the state the boy was in? It was obvious that something was weighting heavily on his heart and if she was correct in her suspicion of who he was, then it was with good reason. Without taking her hood off, Sakura growled at the protesting crowd before letting her blazing emerald eye meet with those of the ones standing in the front lines.

"I said" she snarled "leave him alone. Now scram before I make you." Maybe it was the ferocity of her words or maybe it was the way her eyes were glowing like hellfire. Whatever it was, it certainly did the trick and the crowd of people slowly but surely dissolved.

Sakura made sure that they were alone before turning to the boy who was looking at her with wide eyes. Her identity was hidden by the cloak she was wearing and she intended to keep it that way. From where he was standing, he could only make out her eyes and a small part of her face but not enough so that he would remember her if she happened upon him a second time.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly and was glad to hear that her voice was muffled by the worn fabric.

"Y-Yeah. Thank you. But….Who are you?"

Sakura smiled. "Names are of no importance. I am someone and I am no one at once. The question is: who are _you_?"

The boy stared at her in surprise but he leaned on the wooden railing of the small bridge either way. "My name is Alibaba Saluja."

'_I was right then…'_ "Is that so? An interesting name that is….."

The boy chuckled humorlessly. "Not at all."

"A name or a title doesn't make the man who he is, boy."

Sakura looked at him when she saw that he wasn't paying attention to her. The third prince of Balbadd, eh? If what she had heard about him was true then she could honestly say that she truly admired the kid. He was young but he had the fate of a Kingdom resting on his shoulders; a weight that not many would have been able to bear. _'He's got guts…But sometimes that's not enough….'_ she thought as she watched sadness and pain dance in his golden eyes.

"Tell me, Alibaba, what is it that ails you?"

Said boy looked up at her in surprise and for a moment she saw suspicion flash in his eyes. _'Smart boy…..' _It appeared however that, despite his suspicion, the need to speak of his troubles that weighted so heavily on his heart was far greater.

"It's nothing…."

"It certainly is something if it can bring you so much pain. I can see it in your eyes, Alibaba. And the eyes never lie." _'Trust me, I know.'_

Alibaba sighed heavily and she felt her heart clench at the pained and tired expression on his face. It was a look that she would often see on Naruto during the first years of the Academy and it brought back memories of a self she had long before left behind. No boy his age should have that expression. It was as if he was tired of life…..And that thought scared more than she cared to admit. This was a good lad, she could tell. Over the years, she had become surprisingly good at reading people and she could feel it in her heart that this boy was pure of soul.

"I don't want to burden you with my troubles."

"Sometimes it is easier talking to a stranger. I promise you that no word of judgment will leave my lips."

The boy sighed heavily. "I…..I am weak….."

"Now, why would you say that?"

"What else would you call me when I can't even protect my people?"

Sakura new that feeling all that well. The feeling of not being able to do anything, knowing that your loved ones are in danger and you can't do anything to help them no matter how hard you tried. She knew it well enough to know how easy it was to lose yourself to it…

"Are you scared, boy?"

He looked away in shame. "I….I am."

"Feel no shame. You would be a fool not to be."

Silence fell around them and while Sakura glanced at the moon shinning down on them from the dark sky above, Alibaba was focused on the ripples on the canal underneath them caused by the wind.

"Tell me Alibaba, how many people live in Balbadd?"

He seemed surprised at her question and he looked up at her startled. "Many thousands." he said with uncertainty, not knowing the purpose of this strange inquiry.

"Many thousands you say. Now tell me, how many of these people have ever dared raise their voice against the King? Against the injustice done to every man, woman and child living in the city of Balbadd?"

He had no answer to her question as she had expected. She smiled as she watched his expression change as realization of what she was implying hit him. "You are protecting them, Alibaba. You might not be able to change the situation yet but you are giving them a voice and a chance to be heard. But most of all, you are giving them hope; hope that they are not alone, that someone cares enough to stand for them when they can't. They have faith in you."

"But…But what if I fail them? What if I prove…..useless?" There was fear in his voice as he said and Sakura could certainly see. The word useless was one that brought back memories that she was trying hard to forget…

"You cannot predict the future Alibaba. So, what if you do? At least no one's going to accuse you of not trying. You have given them the drive to believe that there is a brighter future for them. Whether you realize it or not, you have brought change in these people." she said and motioned to the dark city before them. She smiled at him and felt her heart swell with hope of her own as she saw a new spark come alive in his honey-colored eyes.

"You…You really believe that? Could I really make a difference?"

"Do you love this country, boy?"

"Of course! This is my home. It is the country my father dedicated his life to. The one my mother loved so much….."

"Then fight for it. Fight for the love you say you bear this country and all its people. And don't let anyone tell you that you can't do it. True strength is not measured by how many fights or wars you have won. It is measured by how many times you have managed to stand up after coming crushing down. For true courage can be found even in the most unlikely of places." With those words, the 24-year-old kunoichi smiled at young man before her before turning around to leave. Judging from the wide eyes, the mouth hanging agape and the expression on his face, the young prince had a lot of thinking to do before all this was over.

She paused in her stride when she heard him call her. "Wait! Will you at least tell me who you are?"

Sakura smirked. "I am someone and no one at once. Fear not! We'll meet again. Maybe sooner than you imagine…" And with those words, she left him standing alone on the bridge with only his thoughts for company. _'Not the merriest of companies but still a necessary one…We'll meet again Alibaba Saluja. I don't know under what circumstances but somehow I feel that our fates are intertwined…..'_

Unbeknown to her, her words had caused a change in the heart of the young prince; a change that would lead him to making choices that would decide the fate of Balbadd and the course of history itself.

'_Brace your self Alibaba Saluja…For darkness must fall thick around us before the light manages to break through….'_

**TBC**

**Chapter 2 of "And so the Sea began to Sing" is up! I hope you liked it! So, Sakura finally got to meet Alibaba! Not only that, but she has also caused a change of heart in him. The episode equivalent to this chapter is "Magi: Labyrinth of Magic" episode 11 and we'll continue on from there. It is obvious, as you can see, that the episode has been altered. I had to get Alibaba alone somehow so he would get to talk to Sakura. Anyway, our heroine has found herself in a pinch but things will eventually look up. She might even meet some more of the characters in the next chapter. Also, in the story Sakura is 24 years old which means that we're are talking about a time some years after the Shinobi War. **

**Let me remind you that the poll on my profile is still open so please vote! I really do need to decide on a pairing! Please READ AND REVIEW! I would really like to hear what you have to say about the story and if you think it is worth continuing! Until next time!**

**Lots of love! **


	3. Chapter 3

She felt the dark presence long before the yelling started. Her eyes widened when she felt the high concentration of energy in the air and it was with growing panic that she realized where it was coming from.

'_Alibaba!'_

Without wasting another minute she bolted towards the direction Alibaba had gone off to that would ultimately lead to whatever was causing this static electricity in the air. She gripped the kunai in her hand under her cloak as she ran, jumping over debris that used to be houses and maneuvering her way through alleys. The malevolent presence grew stronger as she approached more and more with each leap she took. It kind of reminded her of the dark energy that had sent her here in the first place…She didn't like it…..Not one bit…..Every single one of her senses was screaming at her that with every step she took she was getting closer to something she had never faced before…..

She abruptly came to a stop and her eyes widened at the sight that greeted her when she finally reached her destination.

The male was of average height and thin with a muscular bare midriff and an impressively long segmented braid that reached his ankles. He was dressed in black and white with golden bangled bracelets extending from his elbows to his wrists and a bangled necklace with a ruby in the center that shone scarlet. It was however the darkness that was dancing around him what had made her eyes fall on him almost immediately. Something about him had all her senses on high alert and a shiver ran down her spine. The evil around him was as strong as Sasuke's curse mark, possibly even more so. It almost scared her…

Hidden in the shadows, she gazed around the area noticing a number of people scattered around. Her eyes fell on a particular figure and she sighed in relief when she saw that Alibaba wasn't hurt but she immediately tensed when the dark-haired male came to stand in front of him with a mocking grin on his face. Sakura growled when he pointed a finger at the blonde boy and started laughing.

"You even cried at the end! You are so useless!"

His words combined with Alibaba's defeated expression made anger course through her and she was on the verge of marching over to give the guy a piece of her mind when someone else beat her to it.

"Alibaba is _not_ useless! He did something no one else ever dared try. He knew that he might fail but he went anyway because he loves this country. Alibaba is a very brave person!"

It was a little boy with blue hair and a long braid swaying behind him as he spoke, his blue eyes shining with determination as he stood on Alibaba's side.

"Wow Midget, you really think that highly of him?" The dark-haired male's voice was mocking and it took great effort on Sakura's part not to break every damn bone in his body. She gasped in alarm when he pulled out some sort of short wand and sent Alibaba flying.

'_Alibaba!'_ She growled ferociously and was too caught up in her fury to notice that the hood of her cloak was barely covering her face. _'That's it! The guy is dead!'_ It took all she had not to run over to see if the blonde boy was alright. There was something about that boy that made her want to protect him. Maybe it was the fact that the weight on his shoulders was almost too great or maybe it was his smile…..Whatever the reason, the feeling was there. Her emerald eyes narrowed. First she had to eliminate the threat…The blue-haired boy beat her to it once more. He stood protectively in front of Alibaba and a red-haired girl with determination shining in his eyes, his own staff glowing brightly with gathering light. So powerful….

The dark-haired one smirked. "So, you really are serious about fighting me…."

"I do not wish to fight you but I will not allow you to hurt anyone else!"

"Both of you, stop!" It was a purple-haired male who had spoken but was quickly silenced by a cold stare from the darker one.

"Shut up, Sinbad. You have no business in a fight between Magi. You wouldn't be able to stop me even if you wanted to. You don't even have a single Metal Vessel on you."

'_Magi? Metal Vessel? What the hell is this place?'_

From where she was hiding Sakura couldn't see the purple-haired man's reaction but the next moment another red-haired man tried to land a particularly powerful kick on the dark male only to be repelled by a force field. The one inside didn't seem fazed in the least.

"Come on Midget! Let's get this party started with a magoi shooting match!" He began gathering some kind of energy at the tip of his wand before shooting it at the blue-haired boy only to watch it dispelled by a force field similar to his own. The little boy answered with a shot of his own that completely eradicated his opponent's protection. The dark-haired male appeared surprised before he smirked.

"I see. Let's stop it with the magoi. We will only cancel each other out since we are both loved by the Rukh. Let's settle this with magic!"

"Magic?"

"What? What kind of Magi are you, not knowing about magic? I guess I should teach you then." He raised his wand in the air and started gathering energy once more. "Magoi is the pure energy created from the Rukh. Gathering and shooting magoi won't do us any good. It will damage our surroundings but if you command the Rukh that creates the energy then…." The energy around his wand began to gather at an alarming rate and the atmosphere around them grew heavy with static. Sakura's eyes widened as she quickly caught up on what was going on. After all, she wasn't a stranger to this feeling after so many years of training with Kakashi.

"This is how my lightning magic is created!" Lightning exploded around them bathing the area in bright light and Sakura felt her blood run cold when she saw the blue-haired boy get shot by it. Dust and debris flew in the air and Sakura leapt out of the shadows, no longer caring if they saw her or not. She was ready to jump to the boy's side when the dust settled. Sakura's eyes grew as wide as plates. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. For there before their very eyes and to the astonishment of everyone present, the huge body of a headless blue giant was protecting the little boy.

'_W-What is that thing?'_

"Wow Midget. You really got something there. The giant body of a Djinn…..Only a Magi has that sort of ability. But it won't do you any good. You don't even know what my magic can really do."

Sakura became instantly alert at his words, even more so when out of nowhere an eerie fog rose around them.

"Balbadd is a city of fog. If I control it I can use my specialty: ice magic!"

Sakura gasped at the sight of the giant chunk of ice floating above their heads along with him. Fear bloomed in her heart when she noticed where exactly he was aiming.

"I'm not even started yet! I'm about to show you a special skill of mine!"

As the block of ice began to dissolve into smaller but equally deadly blades of ice, panic settled at the pit of the pink-haired woman's stomach. There were so many people around! They could get hurt or worse, killed. Her eyes flew to Alibaba who was watching the events unfold with fear in his eyes. The reality of the situation hit her. _'He doesn't care…He doesn't care if someone innocent gets killed…..'_

"Take this! Sarg Arsarros!"

Sakura sprang into action as soon as she heard those words and saw the ice blades descending from the sky. Quick as a snake, she pushed chakra to her feet and shot forward. She avoided two of the ice blades that would have torn her in half and managed to reach a middle-aged man who was having problems walking before catapulting herself forward to reach another one. She got them somewhere where the ice wouldn't reach them before diving into the fray once more. A quick glance around told her that no one had been killed but many of them were injured. She started working on those who had the worst injuries before moving on to the next but not before pulling them away from the field of battle. Unfortunately she could do nothing to help the little boy and the blue giant in their fight against the dark-haired male. Right now, the injured were her priority.

While healing one of the more seriously injured, her eyes clashed with those of the purple-haired male, Sinbad, but she quickly averted her gaze, focusing on her patient. She would worry about being seen later. More ice blades fell from the sky and she barely had the time to get herself and her patient to safety but not without the ice grazing her shoulder. She knew that the way the icy feeling spread to her shoulder blade wasn't normal but she could bear it for now.

Her eyes flew briefly to the ongoing fight only to see the giant impaled by several of the ice blades with some strange _substance_ leaking from the holes. She was so focused on healing the injured and conserving as much chakra as possible that their conversation came to her in bits and pieces. Not enough to understand what was really going on but enough to make her hate the dark-haired man even more. The thought of someone fighting just for the sake of hurting others…It disgusted her.

"Over here you bastard!"

It was only when she heard Alibaba's yell that her head shot up in alarm. Her eyes widened when she saw him charge. But the guy had the force field protecting him! Alibaba's dagger would never be able to break through it! It was however before her very eyes that the blonde boy's knife erupted in flames and completely shattered the dark ones protective barrier. And he didn't seem all that pleased with that. She felt him gathering energy before she even saw it and stared in horror as he directed it to Alibaba. With a fluid movement she hurled a kunai at him just as he shot the light bolt from his wand. It was with satisfaction that she saw his body jerk as the kunai slashed his cheek. It was the best thing she could do without drawing attention to herself and jeopardizing the healing of those who were still wounded but it was enough to slightly change the course of the bolt.

However Alibaba was still sent flying to a wall. Without thinking much about it she took her patient to safety before rushing to the blonde boy's side. She didn't even care that there were people watching her. She kneeled beside him and placed his head on her lap.

"Alibaba! Talk to me!" She pressed her glowing hands to his abdomen to assess the damage. He had a couple of broken ribs and there were bruises already forming on his skin. Nothing life threatening but she had to make sure that none of the broken ribs were threatening to puncture his lungs. She heard footsteps and she quickly looked up to see Sinbad kneeling beside her. He didn't question her presence there and for that she was grateful. He only searched her eyes with his own golden ones. Clearly, what he saw was satisfying enough and he offered her a small nod as if telling her that for now he trusted her enough to leave Alibaba in her care.

"How is he?"

"He has some broken bones but I can heal that easily. However, I need to make sure that he doesn't have any form of internal bleeding or a concussion." Her hands shone brightly as she pressed them to his body and in the corner of her eyes she say Sinbad looking at them in surprise before merely nodding. He didn't ask any more questions and he stood up swiftly.

"I leave him in your hands. Please take care of him."

Sakura stared at him before nodding determinedly and focused her attention on maintaining a steady chakra flow. She couldn't really grasp the context of this strange energy they had in this world yet and she didn't want to cause his body to go into shock. She heard him groan and she placed a cool hand on his forehead to sooth the headache that she was sure he was suffering from.

"W-What is going on? W-Where is Aladdin?"

"Hush now, Alibaba, and save your strength." She mended the three broken ribs before moving on to examining him with her chakra for a possible concussion.

"W-Who are you?"

"I am a friend. That's all you need to know." In his dazed state he probably wouldn't be able to recognize her voice. She sighed in relief when she saw that there was no internal bleeding or a concussion that she would have to heal.

"How are the others? What's going on? How's-"

"No more questions. You need to rest and regain your strength."

"But my friends-"

"You'll be of no help to your friends injured, much less dead."

He remained silent after that and she continued to search his body with her chakra to make sure that there was nothing she had missed. She was so focused on her work that it was only the familiar sound of multiple bones breaking that broke her out of her concentration. Her head shot up only to see the blue giant crushing the dark-haired male between the palms of his hands before letting the body fall to the ground like a broken doll. Sakura's eyes widened_. 'What raw power! He completely shattered the protective barrier…' _The powerful energy filling the air was almost suffocating!

"Ugo-kun!"

It was only then that she noticed the huge ice blade protruding from the giant's chest…..

**TBC**

**Yay! Chapter 3 is up! I hope you liked it! So, Sakura finally gets some action though it does little to answer any of her questions about the strange world she landed herself in. She heals an injured Alibaba and they even get to see what she looks like under that hood. We even got to see some Sinbad/Sakura interaction! However that doesn't mean that this is going to be the pairing. The poll's still up so please vote! Please tell me what you think! I'll be busy for a couple of weeks what with my Uni exams so I won't be able to update the story as frequently but I promise I'll get back to it as soon as I can! After all, the completion of my semester exams means the beginning of summer vacation for me which also means plenty of time to write and update my stories! Yay! Anyway, READ AND REVIEW! **

**Also, don't forget to vote! I have to say that I chose to keep it a blind poll so no bias will be induced on any of the voters. The results will be displayed once the poll is closed. Thank you again!**

**Lots of love! **


	4. Chapter 4

Sakura stared in wonder as the giant stood over the fallen body of the dark-haired man. Her eyes widened when she saw him raise his arms above his head and a ball of bright purple light began to form around the palms of his hands. Realizing what he was about to do, Sakura almost felt sorry for the already broken male. Almost…..

The light became brighter and Sakura felt the chakra inside her body spike uncontrollably. Whatever it was that this giant was doing was messing with her chakra system, she realized with horror, as she watched the heeling chakra around her hands flicker.

"This is bad! Everybody, run! Take cover!" It was Sinbad's voice that broke her out of her thoughts and without wasting a minute she gathered Alibaba in her arms and jumped to higher ground away from the battle field. She watched in morbid fascination as the blue giant brought his hands down in a devastating blow that completely shattered the ground and the surrounding walls. Dust and debris flew in the air and Sakura threw her body over Alibaba to shield him.

Once the dust settled, a quick glance told her that, fortunately, there were no casualties. They were all a bit shaken but alive nonetheless. With a burst of chakra to her feet she jumped forward and landed beside the blue-haired boy and the redhead girl with Alibaba on her back. They let out startled yelps and the girl even threw herself in a fighting stance.

"Please don't be alarmed." Sakura said as she let the blonde boy stand on his own feet. "I'm a friend. I'm on your side." They both shot Alibaba confused looks but he confirmed her words with a nod of his head before turning his eyes to the battle field where the blue giant was still standing. Sakura followed his example and saw the ice blade that was impaled in his chest shatter leaving a hole in its place. The same weird substance she had noticed before started leaking from the wound.

She was about to turn to Alibaba and ask for some answers when a shadow fell over them and she immediately tensed. She looked up only to have her eyes widen for the umpteenth time that night. For a few feet above them _floating on a carpet _was a group of people that had her senses on alert. She immediately noticed the huge figures with the covered faces before her eyes fell on a man wearing elaborate clothing and holding a fan. Her eyes shifted to his right and her eyes narrowed at the young red-haired woman.

"It seems that you have been quite harsh on my sweet Judar." she spoke and glanced at the broken dark-haired man.

'_Judar? So that's his name…..'_

"Ka Koubun, you better heal him properly. We can't have him die."

The man beside her nodded. "I understand, Princess. He is out precious Priest, after all."

'_Princess?'_

"They are from the Kou Empire." said Sinbad and Sakura frowned at the look on his face. He seemed worried and tense. Something was definitely wrong with these people. _'An Imperial Princess? She's strong…..'_ She became instantly alarmed when she saw the power build up around the giant's hands. _'This isn't going to end well…' _

"So, the monster still wants to fight. Very well. I shall be his opponent." said the Princess and pulled the hair ornament she wore in her bun. Sakura swiftly pulled out a kunai and held it in front of her defensively. She could feel great power and it unsettled her. Whoever this person, this Princess, was she held power in her hands and Sakura was almost sure that it had to do with the hair pin she was holding.

"O spirit of sorrow and isolation I command thee and thine vessel. Using my magoi, bestow great power upon my will. Come, Vinea!" The hair pin shone brightly and Sakura watched in amazement as the body of a water dragon curled around the princess.

The fight that ensued was short but no less fascinating and Sakura found herself watching in astonishment as a sword appeared in the princess's hands and a devastating spiral of water completely tore through the body of the giant in mid-air. The princess was calmly standing a few feet away as the giant exploded and a flute fell to the ground in his place.

"Ugo-kun!"

Sakura shifted her eyes to the blue-haired boy, who she guessed was Aladdin, and felt sadness creep in her heart when she saw the absolute horror on his face. The little boy seemed so broken….It was heart-wrenching to watch.

"How was that Ka Koubun?"

"Simply amazing, my Princess."

"How's Judar doing?"

"I've performed some emergency first aid but I'll need a proper facility to complete the healing process."

"Good. Now let's get going."

Fiery emerald eyes flashed with anger. _'They really don't care about the hurt they are causing…' _Her fingers flew through the hand signs before she even had the right mind to stop them.

"Katon: Ryuuka no Jutsu!"

Fire flew from her mouth and she vaguely heard gasps of amazement as it took the form of a great fire dragon that rose to the sky before diving in towards the princess and her followers. They barely had the time to avoid being crushed by the dragon's jaws and Sakura smirked when she saw fear flicker across the princess's face. _'Good.'_

The pink-haired woman took careful steps and came to stand a few feet away from the group, feeling the weight of multiple pairs of eyes staring at her.

"State your business here." she said and her voice was as sharp as her blade, challenged only by the ice in her eyes. She knew that she was probably meddling in affairs that weren't her own. _'To hell with diplomacy! This just got personal!'_ Other world or not, she was still a medic and it was her job to heal those in need. It was also her job to make sure that they wouldn't be hurt again and that meant eliminating the threat. And if these people, royal family or not, chose to make an enemy out of her, then so be it. She would show them just how deadly a medical ninja could be. She felt a strange kind of satisfaction when she noticed the wary glances they were sending her and the red-haired woman didn't seem so confident any more.

"We were just saving our friend from a monster that attacked him."

Sakura scoffed. "Your _friend_ is the only monster around here. Ugo was simply trying to protect these people from him."

"I see. So, I guess you are the master of that monster."

"Whether I am or not is none of your business." Sakura spat, trying to understand where this was going.

"And I guess that these people are your friends." the Princess continued as she glanced around, her eyes stopping to inspect the faces of the people gathered around them. Sakura narrowed her eyes at her. _'Where is she taking this?'_ The smile on the Princess's face set her on edge and made her stomach turn unpleasantly. She didn't like it one bit…..

"Enshin, Entai, Engi…..Kill them all."

The three huge figures standing behind her jumped down from the carpet and Sakura watched in horror as they transformed into monsters before attacking the people, completely shattering walls and boulders. The pink-haired woman turned her blazing emerald eyes to the Princess who was smirking at her mockingly. _'How dare she…' _

"Alibaba!" Sakura called without tearing her eyes away from the woman. The boy looked up at her in surprise mixed with fear. "Help protect the innocent! And don't do anything rush!" She didn't wait for his answer but in the corner of her eye she saw him take Aladdin and the red-haired girl with him.

"You better focus your attention on me because I'm going to be your opponent."

Sakura allowed a feral smirk to grace her lips. "I was hoping you would say that." It had been a while since she had a decent fight and she was itching for some action. A short burst of chakra was all she needed and she was immediately upon the Princess, kunai poised to attack. _'I need to find a weakness…' _The red-haired woman barely managed to get out of the way and Sakura noticed that she was momentarily stunned. She could have used that opportunity to finish the Princess off but she held back. _'Enemy or not, this is an Imperial Princess. I mustn't hurt her, much less kill her. That would cause great complications. Should anything bad happen to her, it would be seen as a declaration of war. I need to find another way to disarm her….' _

The pink-haired woman did a back flip to avoid being cut in half by the sword in the Princess's hands before hurling a kunai at her that slashed her arm, tearing through the fabric of her kimono and drawing blood. The red-haired woman glanced down in surprise as the blood tickled down her arm darkening the light yellow of her sleeve. Sakura used the Princess's momentary distraction to take a quick glance around. Sinbad and a red-haired man were fighting the biggest of the monsters while Alibaba and Aladdin were battling against the tallest of the three that appeared to be a swordsman. And a very skilled one at that. In the corner of her eye she saw the red-haired girl and a white-haired male going up against the third of those monstrous warriors. He was the smallest of the three in size but no less dangerous if the speed he was displaying was any indication.

The glint of light reflecting on steel warned her just is time of the deadly blade aiming for her gut and she jumped in the air to avoid it. The blade carved an impressive slash on the stony ground and Sakura made a mental note to be extra mindful of it. One sweep of that and she would be cut in half. She gathered chakra into her fist and slammed it on the ground making stones and boulders fly high. The force of the collision threw the Princess of balance but she quickly regained her composure and positioned her sword in front of her, poised to attack. A familiar spiral of water formed around her and she launched herself at the pink-haired woman with impressive speed.

Sakura barely had the time to dodge but the blade still managed to graze the skin of her sides. She had shed the cloak a while ago and the steel tore easily through the worn fabric of her shirt and her skin. Blood leaked from the wound and Sakura raised a glowing hand to heal it. She was however unpleasantly surprised when the green chakra around her palm flickered. It was the second time it was happening with the first being when the blue giant, Ugo, had gathered those massive amounts of energy around his hands to attack Judar. Why was this happening now? A quick glance around answered her question immediately. Aladdin's staff was glowing brightly as he fought with their opponent alongside Alibaba and Sakura could feel the impressive amounts of energy he was gathering.

She turned her gaze to the Princess just in time to avoid another sweep of her sword. Judging by the way the Princess was handling herself and her weapon, Sakura could tell that despite being strong, she didn't have much experience in battle. _'This is getting us nowhere. I need to find a way to finish this without hurting her.' _However, that was easier said than done. The Princess continued to attack her and Sakura quickly fell into defense. It was effective in keeping them both alive but it did nothing to end this fight and she didn't know how long she would be able to keep this up. _'Damn it! She just had to be a damn Princess! Had it been anyone else, I would have ended this a while ago.'_

"Katon: Kyuuka no Jutsu!" The defensive sphere of fire that formed in front of her was enough to protect her from another one of the Princess's water attacks but was destroyed in the process.

Sakura deliberately delivered another one of her earth-shattering punches on the ground causing dust and debris to fly once more. The attack served to throw the Princess off balance once more and Sakura used that chance to form a series of hand signs.

"Suiton: Suirou no Jutsu!"

Water rose around the Princess before she had the time to react, forming into a spherical prison of water trapping the woman inside it. The technique allowed little to no movement to the one imprisoned inside so the Princess wouldn't be able to call upon her powers. There was however a serious drawback; the one utilizing the jutsu had to keep their body touching the water prison to maintain its existence. Should the contact be lost, the prison would fall away and the target would be released. She kept a steady flow of chakra to her feet to keep herself rooted to the ground. It was, however, in vain.

"Watch out!" Alibaba's voice reached her ears and it was purely out of instinct that she jumped out the way just in time to avoid being crushed by a boulder. As a result, her control of the water prison was lost and the Princess released. She fell to the ground drenched and breathing heavily. She glared ferociously at Sakura but the pink-haired woman glared back with equal fervor.

"I guess I'll have to get serious with you then." said the Princess and rose to her feet. "O spirit of sorrow and isolation I command thee. Cover my body. Infuse my body." Water began to travel up her arm, covering every inch of her body as it went.

'_What is going on? What is she doing?' _

"Transform my body into a great demon, Vinea." The water reached her face and Sakura positioned her kunai protectively in front of her with her other hand glowing brightly with medical chakra. Her muscles were tense and she was about to launch herself forward when Sinbad stepped in and grabbed the Princess's wrist.

"Please stop, miss."

"What are you doing?!" the Princess screeched when the water began to rescind under his touch. "My Djinn equip is…!" She fell to her knees before him breathless and more than a little shocked at the way the man had single-handedly hindered her powers.

The purple-haired male turned his golden eyes to Sakura and stared deeply into her emerald ones. With a nod the pink-haired woman lowered her kunai and relaxed her muscles but she was still more than ready to act should the princess try anything. The man nodded at her in understanding before turning his attention to the still disheveled red-haired woman.

"I believe you a princess of the Kou Empire, correct?"

"W-who are you?"

The full moon above their heads shone down on the man bathing him in silver light.

"I am Sinbad, King of Sindria."

**TBC**

**Note: I know that the Ryuuka no Jutsu is usually seen as a jutsu ****that sends a stream of fire towards the opponent, originating from the users mouth. However, in some cases it has been seen to take on the form of a dragon. And I happen to find dragons much more interesting than a simple breath of fire!**

**Yay! Another chapter is done! And Sakura finally got some action against Kougyoku (I know, the actual fight was between Kougyoku and Aladdin but….oh, well!) I don't have anything else to say about this chapter, only that I had fun writing it. I know I said I wouldn't be updating so frequently until my exams are over but I thought that I would give you another chapter to keep you interested until the next one! I hope you liked it! Also, the poll will be closed soon so spare a couple of minutes to vote for your favorite pairing! And yes, reviews do make me happy so please READ AND REVIEW! **

**Lots of love! **


	5. Chapter 5

"I am Sinbad, King of Sindria."

Sakura raised an eyebrow in surprise. _'He's a King?'_

Apparently, the Princess was equally surprised if the way her head shot up immediately was any indication. "Y-You are _that_ King Sinbad." She stared at him for a minute longer before realizing that he was still holding her wrist. "How long are you going to hold my hand for, you insolent man?" She pulled back with a blush on her face and Sakura resisted the urge to roll her eyes. _'Tsk…Princesses!' _

"My apologies Princess, but we are both people of rank and status. We shouldn't be fighting in a place like this." continued Sinbad calmly with a serious but otherwise kind expression on his handsome face.

"B-But that woman…" said the Princess while pointing at Sakura who scowled at her. _'Pull that finger back before I cut off. And they say royalty have manners….'_

Sinbad turned to her and smiled at her in a friendly way. "Please, lower your blade."

"I don't think so." His smile faded as soon as those words left her lips and his eyes briefly flew to the Princess who was watching them intently.

"You have no reason to be hostile."

"There is plenty reason."

Sinbad sighed heavily but she could see that he was choosing his words carefully. At least he was smart enough to see that she was not one to fool around, especially when in the presence of an enemy.

"It was a misunderstanding that I am sure we will resolve."

"It wasn't a _misunderstanding_" she spat the word "that caused the severe injury of Ugo and all those people that got hurt by her _friend's_ power." The ferocity in her eyes made the Princess flinch and made Sinbad glance at her warily. _'Good. They better get it through their heads that I'm not backing down.'_ A hand on her shoulder brought her out of her thoughts and she turned her head to see Alibaba offering her a small smile with a distressed Aladdin on his left.

"Please" the blonde boy said. "Let's stop with the fighting. Right now we need to find a solution and treat the injured." And as much as Sakura hated to admit it, the boy was right. Reaching an understanding with the Princess was important and even if it weren't, there were people that still needed medical attention. She sighed and stepped back while putting her kunai away but not before sending the Princess a warning glare that clearly said 'try anything and you'll find yourself six feet under.'

Her emerald eyes fell on the sad expression on Aladdin's face, something that wasn't missed by Sinbad either. The man rested a comforting hand on the little boy's shoulder and smiled at him warmly. "There is no need to worry Aladdin. A djinn won't die from an injury like that. Your friend, Ugo, is alright." He turned to the Princess once more. "Princess. I'm visiting this country on business. If you are willing, I would like to meet with you at a more appropriate place."

"I-I understand. Everyone, we are leaving." she said, fixed her hair and defiantly turned around to leave.

"But Princess…" her follower, Ka Koubun if Sakura remembered correctly, protested.

"I said we're leaving now." She took a few more steps forward before turning around with an angry expression on her face that reminded the pink-haired woman of one of Naruto's fits when he lost a spar against Kakashi and pointed her finger at Sinbad. "Just so you know, it's not like I'm leaving just because you told me to, got it?" The man appeared surprised and Sakura couldn't help but roll her eyes. _'Brat…..' _She kept her eyes on the group of people as they mounted their floating carpet and didn't relax her muscles until she realized that they were at a safe distance.

"They left….We are saved." Alibaba breathed a sigh of relief and Sakura had to agree. Her eyes shifted to Aladdin and she approached the little boy before placing a hand on his small shoulder.

"You are Aladdin, right?"

"Yeah…."

"Don't be so gloomy, Aladdin. You heard what he said. Your friend is fine. I'm sure all he needs is some rest and he's going to be back on his feet in no time at all." She smiled at him warmly and ruffled his blue hair fondly. Her smile widened when his lips curled up slightly. Albeit small, it was still a smile.

"What's your name onee-san?" he asked suddenly and looked up at her with curious blue eyes.

"Sakura. My name's Sakura. Now, cheer up Aladdin! Everything will work out in the end." She pinched his cheek affectionately and turned to Alibaba who was watching them intently. "Come on, Alibaba. Give me a hand with the injured." She began walking away with two pairs of eyes staring at her back before the blonde boy finally snapped out of it and followed her.

XxxOxOxOxxX

"Here, drink this." she said softly as she helped a middle-aged man with a broken shoulder drink from a flask of water. He coughed lightly but let the cool liquid run down his sore throat. Sakura pressed a glowing hand to his shoulder before sending him an apologetic look. "This will probably hurt a little but it's going to be alright. Bear the pain for a little while longer. Are you ready?" She saw him nod and she pushed her chakra inside his body. Fractured bones were hard to heal and the procedure wasn't entirely painless for the patient. The man winced and greeted his teeth but other than that did nothing to hinder the healing process. She mended the bone and the torn muscles and healed the wound just enough to stop the bleeding. It would heal on its own in time. Sometimes it was better to let things take their time and if a wound could heal naturally it was better to leave it that way. The human body knew what to do.

"That's it. You did great. Everything's going to be alright. All you have to do is rest for a couple of weeks and don't stress your shoulder." She bandaged his shoulder and arm before smiling at the man as he murmured a weak but heartfelt 'thank you'. Moving on to the next patient, she crouched down beside a young man with a couple broken ribs and a deep slash above his eyebrow. It was still oozing blood and Sakura made quick work of disinfecting it with her chakra.

"Excuse me." Sakura turned her at the sound of a voice above her head. "I've brought these to use as bandages." It was the red-haired girl, Alibaba's companion. She was holding a buddle of cloth and was staring at her with an emotionless face but the pink-haired woman could see the concern in her eyes.

"What's your name, girl?"

"I'm Morgiana."

Sakura smiled at her warmly. "Thank you, Morgiana. It's a good thing you brought that cloth. I was just out of bandages. You are doing a very good job with the injured."

The girl allowed her lips to curl up slightly and bowed respectfully before the older woman before turning around and walking away. Sakura saw her crouch beside a bald man and carefully bandage his wounded arm. _'She's a nice girl…..' _She turned to her own patient and immediately started healing his broken ribs. Fortunately none of his lungs was punctured. Now, _those _were injuries that could get ugly…

"May I have a word with you?"

She knew this was coming. It was only a matter of time before he came to find her and he probably had questions that she had no answers to. Dealing with this was the last thing on her mind but it was inevitable. She didn't blame him, really. Had she been in his place, she would have wanted answers too. The green light around her hands went out and she offered her patient a smile before sighing and standing up.

She faced Sinbad's stare with her own before shifting her eyes to his white-haired companion. It was the man Morgiana was fighting with against that warrior, she realized. Her gaze fell on the purple-haired man once more, who was studying her intently. For some reason his gaze unnerved her. She felt as if his eyes were seeing right through her.

"May I know your name?"

"Sakura. My name's Sakura."

"I am Sinba-"

"I know who you are." she cut him off. "Let's skip the introductions. You wish to talk to me. I will not lie but I can't promise you that I have all the answers you seek." She knew that she was probably being rude, and to a King nonetheless, but she was exhausted from her fight and from healing a number of people and the last thing she needed was someone breathing down her neck. However, she was being truthful when saying that she wouldn't lie. Unless he asked something that had to do with where she was from or how she ended up in Balbadd, she would tell him nothing but the truth.

He smiled an unexpected smile at her and Sakura almost raised an eyebrow at how friendly his expression was. He was either naive enough to trust her so quickly or he was trying to win her over with a charming smile and some friendly words. Probably the later. He hardly seemed like a naïve man and she had no doubt that the King of Sindria was brilliant in his own way. After all, the Princess had put certain emphasis on _that_ when she asked him if he was 'that King Sinbad.' Obviously he was well known if the mention of his name was enough to impress an Imperial Princess. Sakura snorted inwardly. _'Males…..Always thinking charm and a silver tongue will get them what they want….'_

"I would like to thank you for everything you've done." Sinbad started. "You saved many lives tonight."

"You don't thank a medic for healing the injured the same way you don't thank the wind for blowing."

Sinbad chuckled. "I guess you are right. But I have a couple of questions that need to be answered."

"I have no doubt." said Sakura and crossed her arms across her chest, preparing herself for the number of questions that she knew would be coming.

"How did you get to Balbadd?"

"Slave caravan. We had to walk a few hundred miles before we reached a town with a port. They shipped us here as soon as they got their hands on their gold." An easily-believed lie. After all, Balbadd was full of slaves and Sakura had seen more than one ships carrying men, women and children. They usually reached port during the night when the possibility of been seen was smaller. It was easier smuggling in a bunch of shackled people at night, anyway. Sinbad, however didn't seem so convinced.

"A slave caravan you say? Forgive me for being doubtful, but your fighting abilities lead me to believe that it would take more than a Slave Trader to take you down."

Sakura was ready for that too. "It was either shackles to my feet or my village would be burnt to the ground along with all its residents. It wasn't a difficult choice."

Sinbad searched her face carefully, trying to detect any lies. He wouldn't find any. Kunoichi were valuable assets to any village. Apart from their fighting ability, female shinobi could get to places men couldn't, they could reach targets that men couldn't. And for that they had to be trained in the ancient art of deception. Every kunoichi had to go through that kind of training after reaching the rank of Jounin. They didn't _lie._ They merely spoke false truths.

"How did you manage to escape?" He sounded interested but she was sure that he was trying to find out as much about her as he could without blowing his cover.

"If you know where to look and make use of what you have, King Sinbad, it easy to disappear without anyone knowing."

"And I assume that you did disappear?"

"Of course. I'd rather live on the streets than be some fat noble's cupbearer."

His golden eyes bore into her own and judging by the way his face suddenly became serious, he was done asking random questions. He was about to move on to what he really wanted to know.

"You know Alibaba. You fought to protect him and put your life in danger. Why? How did you meet him?"

"I had heard of him. People tend to talk when they think nobody's there to hear. I knew what he was trying to do even before I met him a few hours ago. Our meeting only served to confirm my assumptions. He was being bothered by a crowd of people and I just happened to be in the area. I made them leave him alone and after that we talked."

"Your loyalty lies with a boy you met only a few hours ago?" It was the other man who spoke and Sakura shifted her emerald eyes to the white-haired male who was watching her with surprise written all over his face.

"You know, King Sinbad, my teacher once told me that people who break the rules are scum. But people who abandon their friends are worse than scum. Alibaba didn't. He could have left all this behind and maybe he should have but he didn't. He stayed here to fight, to protect this country. I find that admirable in a human being. _That_ is a man worth following."

"But why fight for him?"

"Because my heart tells me that he is going to need all the help he can get. And I have decided that I will offer my assistance, if he wants it." _'Naruto would never forgive me if I didn't and I wouldn't forgive myself…..' _Sakura stared into his eyes as he continued to search her gaze with a thoughtful expression on his face. _'The eyes of a leader….'_ The thought suddenly entered her mind. It was not a lie, she could tell just by looking at him. The way he held himself with a confident stride and his head held high suggested that he was a man who knew what he wanted, a man that would do anything to achieve his goals. _'A true King and a real man…..'_

The staring match came to an end when Sakura turned her head away at the sound of a painful moan coming from a little kid with a bandaged head a few feet away. She turned to Sinbad and Jafar once more. "Forgive me King Sinbad, but there are still people who require medical attention. I am sure that we will see each other again in the near future. Now, if you'll excuse me…." She bowed respectfully before turning away.

Sinbad stared at her retreating back intently as she went and picked up the little boy with a soft smile and placed a glowing hand on his forehead. _'Who exactly is this woman?' _In all his years he had never come upon a female such as her. Neither in appearance nor in character or fighting spirit. He didn't know what to think of her. Usually he was able to read people easily and win them over without any particular effort. Not this time. For the first time in his life was at a loss of what make of her and the rather strange circumstances under which she had appeared. And there was something else…

"Did you see it Jafar?"

The man looked at him surprised. "See what?"

"The mark on her arm just under her joint."

"I couldn't from where I was standing."

"I only saw it for a fleeting moment but I am sure it was there. The Eight-Pointed Star of Al-Thamen."

Jafar's head shot up in alarm. "Al-Thamen? Do you think she's one of them?"

Sinbad stared at the woman who was bandaging the torso of a young man with Morgiana on her left bearing more cloth to use. He watched the way she moved, the way she bent her wrists, the way she smiled at her patients and mended their wounds using that green energy around her hands, how careful she was not to cause them any pain and how she patted Morgiana's head in praise.

"No. She's not one them."

"Then how do you explain the scar?"

"_She_ has nothing to do with the Organization. But _they_ have something to do with _her_. I just don't know what it is."

"She's on our side then."

Sinbad remained silent for a while before answering. "She is. And I don't know if I should be glad or worried…"

**TBC**

**Exams are over! Yay! And do you know what this means? It means more free time to update my stories! Ok! Sakura got to meet Morgiana, who now has another female around and possibly a future female role model. Also, Sinbad and Sakura finally got introduced and our favorite purple-haired King noticed something unusual. *Insert drumroll* The Eight-Pointed Star of Al-Thamen! But he doesn't seem to believe that she is one of them which is good. IMPORTANT! The poll is closing in a few hours so this is your last chance to vote your favorite pairing! I hope you liked the chapter! Reviews make me happy so please READ AND REVIEW! **

**Lots of love! **


	6. Chapter 6

Sinbad glanced around, taking in the tired and occasionally pain-failed expressions on people's faces. He walked through the rows of men and women making sure that no one was left without any form of medical attention, even if it was basic. It was amazing how much hurt the arrogance of one man could cause…..He helped an old man sit up and offered a flask of clean water to a mother and her son. The little boy couldn't be more than seven. He glanced at the East. The sun would rise in a few hours to signal the arrival of another day of uncertainty and fear.

His eyes searched the crowd for the unmistakable flash of pink that marked the presence of that peculiar woman. He couldn't possibly tell what kind of connection she had to Al-Thamen and it worried him. He had never liked not knowing and if it had to do with the Organization then it was of utmost importance that he was aware of what they were planning…However, he hadn't been lying when he told Jafar that he didn't believe that she was one of them. In fact, he was sure that the Eight-Pointed Star hadn't been put on her arm painlessly. Al-Thamen were clever and deceitful. They would never advertise their presence like that and she certainly wasn't the type of person they usually recruited in their ranks. But despite not being allied with the Organization, that didn't stop him from being suspicious. She appeared out of nowhere, she knew Alibaba and she even fought to protect him and the people while displaying impressive skill. Why? Why would anyone go through something like that and even put themselves in danger to help someone they barely knew? _'Damn it! Who is that woman?'_

"Sinbad!"

Jafar's frantic voice broke him out of his thoughts and he turned around to meet his right-hand man's distressed face.

"Jafar? What's wrong?"

"It's Aladdin!"

"What? What happened?"

"He suddenly collapsed!"

Sinbad's eyes widened. _'Damn it!'_ "Take me to him. And fetch Sakura!"

XxxOxOxOxxX

She was exhausted. Exhausted and sweaty and dead on her feet. She hadn't had a proper bath in weeks and it was just her luck that she had no rations pills on her person. Her fight with the Princess and all that healing had left her with little chakra and all she wanted was to simply drop in a corner and sleep for two days straight. _'What I wouldn't give for a shower and a warm bed…..' _Some food wouldn't be bad either. She couldn't remember the last time she had a proper meal.

She leaned her back against a wall and slid down until she was sitting on the ground. Not the most comfortable of ways to rest, especially if you had sore muscles, but she would have to make do. She had made it through far worse situations, anyway. Fourth Shinobi War, anyone? Her eyelids started dropping and she was ready to surrender herself to the blissful realm of dreams when someone stopped her.

"Sakura-san!"

Tired emerald eyes blinked open and she stared at the red-haired girl who was staring down at her. Sakura became instantly alarmed when she noticed the frantic look in the girl's eyes.

"Morgiana? What happened? What's wrong?"

"It's Aladdin! He needs your help!"

Fatigue and sore muscles forgotten, she quickly shot up to her feet with her mind going over every possible scenario that could have gone wrong. Had he been hurt and she hadn't taken notice of it? Could it be that this was some sort of after-effect of his fight with Judar? Was it something else? And more importantly…..Would she be able to heal it?

"Let's go! Lead the way Morgiana!"

XxxOxOxOxxX

Sakura cursed under her breath and wiped the sweat off her brow with her forearm. She forced more chakra to the palms of her hands and pushed it into Aladdin's body only to have it repelled for the umpteenth time. _'Damn it! Why isn't it working?' _

She had been trying to push her chakra in his body for almost an hour with no result. Something was blocking her; quite successfully, if she wanted to be honest. She glanced at the face of the little blue-haired boy and pushed harder. Healing chakra was….._compatible _with almost every kind of chakra. And while it was not that uncommon for a medic ninja to be initially blocked, most of the times the patient's chakra receded after a try or two. So, wasn't Aladdin's?

She took a deep breath to calm her nerves. _'Think Sakura, think.' _She closed her emerald eyes and expanded her senses as much as she could before focusing them on Aladdin. There had to be something that she was missing….She let her hands hover above different parts of his body and furrowed her brow. The room was silent and the only sounds were the light breathing of the others and the soft buzz of her chakra. Her hands were hovering above his diaphragm when she felt it. _'There!'_ It was but a tiny spark but she could feel it flickering like a candle about to blow out. She focused on the small flare. The feeling of it was familiar and she realized that it was the same energy Aladdin and Judar had used during their fight.

"Magoi" she said, testing the strange word on her tongue. "They mentioned it in their fight. What is it? What does it mean?"

"Magoi is the energy created from Rukh, the world's natural life force." It was Sinbad who spoke up. "Magoi is contained in the body of every living being but only certain people can control it and call upon its power. However, it comes with a price. Should a person use too much of it, it can lead to extreme exhaustion and even death."

Sakura's eyes flashed at the word 'death'. It was, however, a relief to know that this magoi was so similar to chakra. No one understood chakra and its uses better than a medic and she happened to be an authority in the field. If magoi was indeed a form of chakra then all she had to do was find a way to make them mingle.

"What happened to Aladdin? Why is he in such a state?"

"When Aladdin uses too much of his power, it drains his stamina." answered Alibaba. "He was already weakened by his fight with Judar. He was extremely worried about Ugo's condition after what happened with the Princess and he tried to give him more magoi. It took too much out of him. It happened once more, in the seventh dungeon."

Sakura merely nodded and glanced at the flute that was placed beside the little boy on the bed.

"This is a dangerous state for him to be in." said Sinbad with a serious expression on his face. "Magi can use the infinite amounts of magoi that surround us, but only if they have the stamina to do so. In his attempt to help Ugo, Aladdin exhausted himself to the point that he couldn't command the Rukh to gather magoi for him to use. He had to use his own magoi, even at the cost of his own well-being."

"That's how much Ugo meant to him!" The blonde balled his fists and clenched his teeth almost too tightly. Alibaba glanced worriedly at his friend lying on the bed and the pained look in his eyes made Sakura feel the need to comfort him. "Don't worry, Alibaba. I won't let anything bad happen to Aladdin. I'll do anything in my power to heal him. I promise….." She smiled at him reassuringly as he stared at her with a startled expression on his face before he re-composed himself and nodded at her determinedly. She didn't notice the way Sinbad's lips curled up in a smile.

With newfound determination shining in her eyes, she decided to try something else. Forcing her chakra into his system obviously hadn't worked. This time, she would try to make it become _one_ with his magoi. She took a deep breath and reduced the amount of chakra glowing around her hands. She rested her palms on his chest and let her healing chakra cover his body. Slowly but surely, she started guiding her chakra into his system until it finally reached his magoi. The moment the two forms of energy came in contact a wave of dizziness hit her. While chakra and magoi were similar, they were still different. She could feel them fighting each other for dominance and she furrowed her brow. That wouldn't do. It wasn't about one form of energy dominating the other. She had to make them _fuse_. Sweat ran down her temple but she didn't allow herself to be pushed back. If she was right, then she had the advantage. Aladdin was severely weakened and had no control over his magoi. She kept a steady flow of chakra and while it was seriously draining her already exhausted organism, she refused to give up.

The moment the fusion took place was one of the most overwhelming experiences of her life. She felt as if her senses suddenly came alive and her level of awareness increased so drastically that she could see small shining butterflies flying around them. She stared at them in amazement before realizing that she was probably a queer sight, staring around her in surprise like that at something that obviously only she could see.

She continued to pump chakra into him and with his magoi no longer blocking her, she could easily heal any possible damage to his organs or his system. From what she could see, there was no physical damage but he was suffering from one of the worst cases of depletion she had ever come upon. The only thing she could do was help speed up his recovery by feeding him more chakra and make him as comfortable as she could by relaxing his muscles and soothing his nerves.

"Sakura-san? How is he?"

"Don't worry, Morgiana. He's fine. All he needs is rest and he will be back on his feet in a couple of days. Please, fetch some water and a cloth. Keeping his forehead and neck cool will offer him some comfort." Her voice sounded weak and tired. It didn't surprise her though. She had little to no chakra left and she hadn't had a proper meal in days. It was a miracle that she could still stand. She didn't even register Morgiana leaving the room to carry out her request. Her knees trembled, her vision was getting blurry and she had to grip Alibaba's shoulder to steady herself.

"You are exhausted, Sakura. You should stop. You have done all you can."

"Just a little more, Alibaba. I need to make sure. Just….a….little….longer….." The words died on her lips as she collapsed. She felt strong arms wrap around her, stopping her fall before she hit the ground. She glanced up through half-lidded eyes. She noticed unruly red hair and piercing red eyes staring down at her as strong arms held her close to a muscular chest. Whoever this person was, he was warm….

"Sakura! Can you hear me? Sakura! Masrur, get her to a room." She vaguely registered Sinbad's worried voice calling her name but she couldn't find it in herself to respond. The room was spinning and she could barely keep her eyes open. She could hear voices above her head but she couldn't really make out what they were saying. With what little energy she had left she forced her head to the side. She blinked her eyes to clear them as much as possible. With one last glance at Aladdin, she surrendered herself to the arms of whoever was holding her and let herself be consumed by the blissful darkness of unconsciousness….

**TBC**

**Don't worry Aladdin-kun! Sakura is here! We even got a bit of MasrurXSakura goodness! Alright, folks! That's it for now! Next chapter's coming up next week so stay tuned. Anyway, the poll's closed! I'm just going to post the results here but can always go to my profile and check if you wish.**

**Poll Results:**

**Unique Voters:**** 28**

**SinbadXSakura: 16**

**SharrkanXSakura: 7 **

**MasrurXSakura: 5 **

**And the winner is Sinbad! **

**I have to say that for the first week or so, before more people started voting, MasrurXSakura was a couple of votes ahead of the other two. Well, I'm fine with all three of them so to me it would make no big difference but since most people prefer Sinbad then…SinbadXSakura it is! They do make for an interesting couple, don't you think? Let's start building up some romance, shall we? **

**Well, that's it for now. I hope you liked the chapter! So…. READ AND REVIEW! **

**Lots of love!**


	7. Chapter 7

Sakura groaned as she forced her eyes open only to shut them again when bright light hit her emerald irises. Slowly, she sat up and grunted. Her muscles were sore and her head was pounding. _'My head…..I feel like I was kicked by a horse…'_ She sent a small amount of chakra to her fingertips and placed them on her temples to sooth her headache before doing the same to her stiff muscles. She sighed in relief when the pain subsided and took a minute to examine the room she was in.

She found herself on a soft bed, wrapped in a thin sheet. Someone had removed her weapons pouch and had placed it on a table in the middle of the small room along with an oil lamp. Light shone through the window on her right as she swung her legs off the bed. The floor was cold but she welcomed the feeling. She felt strangely refreshed and this probably was the best night's sleep she had had in a long while if her completely replenished chakra reserves were any indication. _'But how did I end up here?' _She racked her brain for the answer and she gasped when memories flooded her mind.

'_Now I remember…..Someone carried me here after I collapsed while healing little Aladdin…..'_ Her eyes widened. _'Aladdin!' _She shot up from the bed, ignoring the sudden wave of dizziness, and slid into her ninja sandals. She pulled her hair in a ponytail and adjusted her weapons pouch on her waist. Making quick work of looking through her kunai to count them and make sure that they were in top condition, she almost ran out of the room, not even bothering to close the wooden door behind her.

She didn't really know where she was going but she figured that it wouldn't be hard to find it. She would feel Aladdin's chakra or magoi or whatever it was anyway. She was about to take a left turn when she heard voices.

"What did you say?" It was Sinbad's voice and he sounded rather distressed. Sakura frowned. What could have possibly made him so upset? Silent as a shadow, she took careful steps towards the room she figured they were in.

"Alibaba has broken into the palace?" Sakura's eyes widened at his words. Alibaba did what? Her heart was pounding against her ribcage and she could feel the hair at the back of her neck stand on edge. _'Damn it Alibaba! What were you thinking?! I told you not to do anything rash! What is it with blondes and their refusal to listen to anything I say?' _No longer caring to stay silent, she made her way inside the room in time to hear Jafar speak.

"What are we going to do, Sin?"

"Go after him, of course." Three pairs of eyes immediately shifted to her in surprise as they hadn't noticed her come in, though she had an inkling that the red-haired male standing near the doorway had taken notice of her long before the others.

"Sakura? You're awake. How are you feeling?" asked Sinbad and she had the suspicion that with his almost casual expression and small talk he was trying to throw her off the topic of Alibaba. _'Not going to work…..'_

"I'm good enough to bring this whole place down if you don't tell what the hell is going on."

Sinbad sighed and rubbed his eyes, looking as if he had a great weight resting on his shoulders. "Alibaba has infiltrated the palace. He means to give an end to this on his own."

Sakura cursed under her breath. "How could you let this happen?"

"I was not aware that he meant to do something like this. He came to me asking to teach him how to achieve his Djin Equip but I couldn't possibly know that he was intending to take action on his own." He ran a hand through his hair in exasperation. "What was he thinking…..And the support I called in from our allied countries was so close…..Now it's going to be very difficult to solve this politically."

"Then we don't." Everyone looked up at the pink-haired woman who was staring at Sinbad determinedly. "Diplomacy can only get us so far and now that the prospect of solving this that way is out of the equation we follow the only road we have left."

"And what would that be?" asked Jafar, who was watching her intently. There was something in her emerald eyes that reminded him a bit of his own younger self and his days as an assassin.

"We fight."

"Going against King Ahbmad like that would be seen as a declaration of war."

Sakura slammed her hand on the desk surprising all three males in the room. Blazing emerald eyes stared deeply in golden orbs. "I will not stand by and wait while Alibaba is out there getting killed! I will tear the whole place down if I have to! I will not have Alibaba brought back to me a corpse!" Noticing the look on his face, Sakura took a couple of calming breaths and continued in a softer tone. "I know that you have your country to think of Sinbad, and I understand your need to protect it, believe me I do. But please….try to understand me. From the moment that I met him, I decided that I would protect Alibaba so that he would never be forced to have that miserable expression on his face ever again. He is only a boy. A boy with too many responsibilities and too good a heart to be able to shoulder them."

Sinbad stared at her with an unreadable look on his face as she spoke. The softness of her eyes, the almost pleading look on her face…She was telling the truth. She really wished to protect the blonde boy….._'I don't know how you did it Alibaba but you have gained a precious ally…' _His head shot up in surprise when he felt a light weight on his hand. Her touch was soft as she placed her fingers on his own and he stared into sparkling emerald eyes.

She didn't know what made her do that. Perhaps it was the fact that the way he was trying so hard to protect both this country and his kingdom reminded her of Tsunade's love for Konoha and its people. Or perhaps it was just in her nature to feel the need to offer her help to those who needed it. Maybe it was just him, just Sinbad. Whatever the reason, the feeling was there and she didn't regret offering him whatever comfort she could with that simple gesture. "Please Sinbad…..Let me help. Let me make sure that he comes out of there alive and I promise I will do nothing to jeopardize the safety of the people of Balbadd or Sindria."

He stared at her and she had to admit that his penetrating gaze slightly unnerved her. But she refused to give up. It wasn't a matter of choice. It never was. If she wanted to be completely honest, she would have gone after Alibaba either way. But she had to make it clear to him, she had to make him see things from her own perspective. It was like accepting a mission…..Once a shinobi accepts the mission, they either carry it out or die trying. This was also a mission. A personal mission that she had accepted while being perfectly aware of what it meant and failure wasn't an option. After what seemed like an hour, he finally sighed in defeat and nodded at her.

She gave his hand a light squeeze and smiled. "Thank you."

She was about to walk out of the room when Sinbad's voice stopped her. "Sakura?"

"Yes?"

"Stay alive."

The pink-haired woman winked at him taking him completely by surprise and smirked. "Don't worry. Defying death has always been one of my favorite hobbies!" In an instant she was out of the room, the sound of her feet hitting the ground as she ran slowly fading.

Sinbad went over their conversation in his head. _'It no longer matters who she really is. She has involved herself far too much to go back now and I have a feeling that her presence here will change everything…'_ With a serious expression on his face he turned to Jafar.

"Be on alert and keep an eye on Aladdin. I'm heading to the palace."

"Yes sir."

XxxOxOxOxxX

"Move out of the way!" Sakura pushed her way through the huge crowd of people that was gathered around the royal palace. It appeared that the whole of Balbadd was waiting anxiously to see what their third prince would do. She couldn't blame them, really. With the life they had been leading she was surprised that they hadn't torn down the gates yet. But since she was on the verge of tearing those walls down herself, they had better move out of the damn way! She didn't even acknowledge the protests and complaints that reached her ears as she pushed and shoved to make way. It was bad enough that she wasting precious time as it was.

Finally reaching open space, she swiftly jumped over half a dozen surprised guards that could do nothing but stare dumbfounded as she leapt over them and dashed into the courtyard of the palace. Their yells of 'halt!' and 'stop!' probably sounded weak even to their own ears.

Having lived through the Greatest Shinobi War of her time and countless of missions, she was certainly used to grotesque sights. However, the decapitated and cut-in-half monstrous body of the elephant warrior was something that made her eyes widen. _'Who could have possibly done this?' _Whoever it was certainly had to have one hell of a sword if it managed to deliver such a blow to that monster. Her eyes were drawn to her left and she gasped when she saw Morgiana fighting a bunch of monkeys that were baring their fangs at her and growling threateningly. Sakura ran to the girl's side just in time to crush the skull of a monkey that was aiming for her neck.

"Sakura-san!" The girl looked at her in surprise as she punched one of the attacking beasts, sending it flying to a wall.

'_Woah! This girl sure has one mean right hook!' _thought Sakura as she took care of another of those monsters. Her eyes immediately fell on the largest of the monkeys that was watching them with a cruel smirk on his face. _'The chief…..' _

She moved closer to the red-haired girl as she continued to fend off the monkeys until they were side by side. "Morgiana, look. That's their leader. Once we take him down, it's over." The girl nodded at her curtly understanding what she meant. "Leave him to me." said Morgiana and Sakura couldn't help but smile at the pure determination on the younger girl's face. Come to think of it, it kind of reminded her of herself the day she went to Tsunade to request that she be taken as an apprentice…..Sakura nodded at the girl. "I'll distract the rest of this disgusting lot. You focus on taking him down and staying alive." With that she turned to the growling monsters and smirked. Making a few familiar hand seals, she brought her fingers to her lips and breathed a stream of fire that completely cut off Morgiana and the chief from the rest of the monkeys and herself. Good. The red-haired girl could afford no distractions. And said distractions were currently glaring at her with blood thirsty eyes. The pink-haired woman didn't even feel any remorse for the beasts that were unlucky enough to get caught in her fire when the smell of burning hair and flesh reached her nose.

Grabbing a kunai in each hand and attaching chakra strings to their hilts, she flew through their numbers with practiced ease and deadly accuracy. Her blades easily cut through skin and muscle. She hurled her kunai at a monkey that tried to reach the leader, killing it instantly before drawing the kunai back. They were fast, she would give them that but she was faster. The ground cracked under her feet as with a burst of chakra she tore through their numbers cutting them down one after another.

A resounding collision of stone against stone made her turn her head around just in time to see Morginna bring down the stone pillars of the courtyard before tearing _through_ the body of the chief with an impressively strong and devastating kick. Sakura made quick work of finishing off the beasts that remained before landing beside the girl. She put a hand on the girl's head and smiled widely down at her. "Way to go Morgiana! You were absolutely amazing!" she praised and it was with satisfaction that she noticed the younger girl's lips curl up and the small blush on her cheeks. Sakura quickly sobered up. "Where is Alibaba?"

"He went inside the palace just before you arrived. I haven't heard from him since."

Sakura nodded in understanding. "I'm going in. You might want to go bring help. Something tells me that we'll be needing it. And whatever you do, do not come inside the palace. I have no idea what to expect and if this" she said and motioned to the bodies littering the courtyard "was our welcoming party then I don't want to think what could possibly be waiting ahead."

Morgiana stared at her for a while before nodding, albeit reluctantly. Sakura squeezed her shoulder reassuringly before taking a few steps forward.

"Sakura-san?"

"Yes?"

"Be careful. And please come back alive."

Sakura turned to the girl with sparkling emerald eyes. "Don't worry Morgiana. No one's going to die while I am around." With one last smile she took off inside the palace…..

**TBC**

**Yay! SinbadXSakura moment people! Well, I really gotta start building the romance between them and I had to start somewhere, right? And what better way to do that than have their fingers touch? I'm so excited! The more I think about it the more interesting this couple gets! I don't know why…..Maybe it's because it's so….unique! Of course there is going to be much interaction with other characters outside the SakuraxSinbad pairing! Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter! And Sakura is getting more and more into action. She might be a medic but I think of her as a person that would never abandon someone in need, especially people she cares about. Also, with her Yin seal I doubt that she'd have problems fighting. After all, I don't think we have ever seen her stay out of a fight because of being a medic. And as a reviewer correctly pointed out (thanks for the wonderful review, by the way!), medic-nin who have mastered the Strength of a Hundred Technique are permitted to break the first three medic rules. Ok! Next chapter's coming up next week but given how excited I am about this story, it will probably come sooner so stay tuned! Also, please excuse my mistakes, English is not my native language. Until then, READ AND REVIEW! See you next time!**

**Lots of love!**


	8. Chapter 8

Sakura ran through the maze of halls and corridors, trying desperately to find Alibaba and make sure that he was alright. She stopped for a moment to glance around to make sure that there were no guards around before closing her eyes. She expanded her senses as much as she could without wasting but a minimal amount of chakra and took a deep breath. The first thing she detected was the chakra signatures of multiple people a floor or two above her none of which was Alibaba. She continued to search and it was only a couple of seconds before she had results. Her eyes shot open. _'There!'_ She could feel the unmistakable chakra trail of Alibaba and she immediately dashed in that direction. It was, however, with increasing panic that she detected another presence dangerously close to the blonde boy. Whoever that presence was, they were strong and their energy made Sakura's stomach knot. Somehow it was familiar, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it…..

The pink-haired woman pushed chakra to her feet to increase her speed and maneuvered her way through corridor after corridor. She abruptly stopped when she reached one of the bigger halls and her emerald eyes immediately fell on the two figures standing opposite from each other. One was Alibaba, who was holding an impressive black sword and the other…..Her eyes widened. No wonder the second presence was familiar. How could it not be? It was the swordsman that Alibaba had been fighting the other day and from what she could remember, he was more than dangerous.

She watched as the swordsman tore off the white fabric covering his features to reveal the spotted face of a leopard with cruel red eyes and sharp fangs pocking from his lips. He pulled his sword from its sheath and Sakura was just about to pounce on him when Alibaba beat her to it. With his great sword held tightly in front of him, steel clashed against steel making sparks fly. It was, however, before her very eyes that the leopard's sword snapped in two under the pressure of Alibaba's black blade making his opponent jump back. Sakura had seen swords break during battle many times before but never with just one stroke. The boy himself seemed rather surprised judging by the amazed expression on his young face. Alibaba's golden eyes hardened and he charged once more but he shrunk back in panic when the black sword in his hands receded back to his dragger.

The leopard chuckled darkly. "You have ran out of magoi." With a swift move he pulled out a second sword. "You are finished. Kiss your life goodbye!" And Alibaba probably would have had it not been for Sakura jumping in between them just in time to block the sword that would have removed his head from his shoulders with her kunai.

The blonde boy gasped and looked up at her in surprise. "Sakura!"

"Are you alright Alibaba?" the woman asked without glancing back at him, focusing instead on the swordsman who was putting more and more pressure on his sword as the seconds passed.

"Y-Yeah…..I'm fine."

"Good. Now, run ahead. I don't know what you wish to achieve but I understand that you need to do this alone. Go on. I'll take care of this filth." She growled threateningly at her opponent. Alibaba stared at her with something akin to amazement in his eyes before nodding determinedly.

"Thank you." He was about to take off when he called at her. "And Sakura? Please don't die."

The pink-haired woman allowed a long-suffering sigh to escape her lips. "Seriously people, what's with everyone and telling me to stay alive today? I'll be fine, don't worry. I'll catch you later. Now go!"

Once she was sure that the boy had disappeared behind the heavy double doors of the hall, she swiftly jumped back to untangle her kunai from the pressure of her opponent's blade. She regained her fighting stance and glared at the sword-wielding leopard who was watching her with a cruel smirk.

"What is this? The little princeling fled and left a woman to fight me in his stead? How disappointing….." he said mockingly and pointed his blade at her. "Prepare to meet your death."

Sakura smirked. "Bring it on, kitty." She knew that she was breaking one of the most important rules of being a medic: Medical ninjas do not engage in battle unless absolutely necessary. But damn it! She was a field medic and that meant that she served a dual purpose: Keep the team alive and eliminate the threat. That's why combat medics were so invaluable to every shinobi village. They could switch between roles in the blink of an eye. She had never been one to stay out of a fight and watch from the sidelines anyway…..

Sakura narrowed her calculating eyes at her opponent. She hadn't had the time to observe him during his fight with Alibaba; she had been in the middle of battle herself, after all. She knew that he would be attacking soon-he didn't seem like the type who waits for his opponent to make the first move and the defiant look on his face spoke of an overconfident individual-and she only had a few seconds to analyze him. But a few seconds were all she needed. As an experienced medic, there was no one who understood the functions of the body better than her and she could detect even the smallest of changes. It took no more than a second for her clever eyes to see it. _'He puts most of his weight on his right leg…..'_ Now, that was something that she could use to her advantage. She just had to be methodical…..

The leopard charged at her with his blade aiming for her gut and she back flipped to avoid it. With a burst of chakra to her feet, she shot forward with her kunai held tightly in front of her. Steel clashed against steel and she had to admit that he was stronger than she had first thought. He pressed harder on her kunai and though she was by far stronger than he was, her kunai was at a disadvantage against his blade. Sakura had learnt to trust in her weapons and while her kunai had never disappointed her in long-range combat, it was harder to fend off close-range opponents that wielded so long double-edged swords.

Dangerous as it was as it left half her upper body open, she pulled back her fist and delivered a jaw-cracking blow to his face. It wasn't the smartest of moves but it was one that no one would have anticipated in a sword fight. The leopard picked himself off the ground and spit blood before glaring at her ferociously. If looks could kill, she would have been reduced to nothing but a pile of ashes on the ground. With an enraged roar and impressive speed fueled by his hatred and rage, he aimed for her neck but she maneuvered her way just in time for the blade to cut some strands of pink hair and graze her neck slightly. A few drops of blood trailed down her neck but she paid it no mind. She didn't even make any move to heal it. It was merely a scratch and it wasn't worth wasting chakra over it.

She didn't know how long they continued to attack each other, steel clashing against steel. She managed to make a number of slashes on him but he seemed completely unfazed by it. _'Damn it! I have to end this. He's trying to tire me out before going for the kill…..Like hell I'm going to let him!' _Plan quickly forming in her mind, she sent chakra to the palm of her hand that wasn't holding the kunai. She didn't want to sound egotistic, but she was quite proud of the chakra scalpel that formed in her hand. It was thin and almost invisible under the light but deadlier than a dozen swords. One strike, that's all she needed and it would be over. Oh the advantages of having perfect chakra control…..

She jumped back to put some distance between them and rearranged her fighting stance so that the soft glow of her chakra wasn't visible to her opponent but still poised to strike. She shifted her eyes between his blade and his right leg and calculated the distance that she would have to cover if she wanted her plan to work. _'I've been aiming for his upper body this whole time and that has made him careless'_ she observed _'He has left his legs completely open…..'_ Inwardly smirking, she gathered chakra to her feet and catapulted herself forward. She aimed for his chest and he fell right into her trap when he raised his sword to block her, leaving his lower body to her mercy. _'There will be no mercy for him…' _In the blink of an eye, she changed her course and ducked low, her hand glowing with medical chakra.

He didn't even feel it at first. "You missed…."he said with a mocking smirk on his face.

"I don't think so."

His red eyes widened when he realized that his right leg was failing him. He looked down as massive amounts of blood ran from the deep cut and the completely severed tendons of his popliteal. He tried moving it but it was in vain. His sword fell from his hand as he fell to one knee before her. He cursed and looked up at her with a heated glare that would have made most men quiver in their boots. She was no man…

"You bitch!" he growled and spat blood at her feet.

"You can do better than that." Sakura picked up his sword and pressed the tip of it just under his chin. She stared at him with unfeeling eyes. She had always been one to express her feelings, a characteristic of hers that had more than once earned her criticizing looks and people telling her that she wasn't fit to be a ninja. A few years back she might have felt even the smallest amount of remorse. But not anymore. Years of fighting had hardened her once frail heart.

"Any last words?" she asked.

The leopard chuckled darkly. "It doesn't matter. They are going to kill you. And they are going to make it painful. You will be screaming for mercy but no one's going to be there to hear you."

"Who?"

He smirked at her cruelly but didn't answer.

"I said who?" She pressed the blade closer to his spotted skin drawing a thin line of blood.

"Them….The people pulling the strings of this world."

"Who are they?"

"It doesn't matter. They are coming. And they are coming for you! For you and that disgusting lot of yours!"

The smirk that appeared on Sakura's face was feral. "Then let them come. And they better pray that the Gods have mercy on them because I won't."

One swing was all it took. The foot of sharpened steel tore easily through skin and muscle and bone. The leopard's head rolled to the floor before he even had time to register her moving. The decapitated body followed a second later and Sakura watched as blood coated the once white marble of the floor. She threw the crimson-stained blade to the side a couple of feet away from the body and turned her back to it.

She contemplated his words as she stared at the ceiling. Who were they? And what did he mean when he said that they are coming? Who? And more importantly, for what? Somehow, she had a feeling that whoever these people were they had something-probably a lot- to do with her coming to this place. Whoever they were, they held the key to how she came here and possibly to how she would go back. The man with the checked mask flashed through her mind. _'Him….I need to find him. He holds the answers…'_ She didn't know how or how long it would take, but she had to find that man. Whoever he really was, he had gone through considerable effort to send her to this place and there had to be a reason why. She couldn't possibly know what it was but she intended to find out. No matter what.

She glanced at the scar under her joint that even after weeks, it still seemed as if it had been carved into her skin yesterday. She didn't know what it meant or why she couldn't heal it but she was sure that it was inextricably connected to her coming here. _'Al-Thamen…'_ It flashed through her mind. It was the phrase she remembered those people chanting over her…What could it possibly mean?

Sakura growled. So many questions and no answers in sight…Perhaps she could ask Sinbad for help…..She quickly shook that thought away. No. Though she did trust him to an extent, it was still too soon to trust him with something like that. Perhaps in the future she would be able to tell him and the others the truth but for now she was alone in this. She turned her emerald eyes to the direction Alibaba had gone off to earlier.

'_That's all I can do for you right now, Alibaba. The rest is up to you. I hope you know what you are doing…Good luck and stay safe.'_

With one last glance she turned around and started running back the way she had come, heading for the exit. Out there the unknown was waiting for her…..

**TBC**

**Here it is! See? I told you it would come earlier than planned! I hope you liked the chapter! I know it's not one of the best but I find myself really enjoying writing Sakura's fighting scenes. Badass kunoichi for the win! Anyway, at the rate I'm going I'll probably have the story done by the end of summer and from what I've seen it'll be about 25 to 30 chapters long(but since you can never be sure, I'm not making any promises!). I'm not surprised though, given that every episode translates into an average of two chapters each. I try to follow the anime and not leave anything important out, especially when it has to do with Al-Thamen. But I'm not that worried since it was only recently that I re-watched both seasons so the episodes and the storyline are still pretty fresh in my mind. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it! Thank you for your wonderful reviews! They make me want to update faster so….READ AND REVIEW! **

**Lots of love!**


	9. Chapter 9

Sakura found herself once more running through the maze of halls and hallways that was the royal palace. It was a good thing she had a fairly good sense of direction or else she would have been hopelessly lost by now. The trail of blood trickling down her collar bone was starting to annoy her but not enough to make her stop to heal the cut. She leapt through the front gates of the palace and found herself in the courtyard. Morgiana was nowhere in sight but the dead bodies of the monkeys were still scattered around the place.

'_I need to inform Sinbad and the others of-'_

"Sakura!" She was broken out of her thoughts by the same man she was thinking about just a moment ago. She turned her head and saw Sinbad walking up to her along with three other people. She turned her body fully towards him and bowed down respectfully when he came to stand before her. "King Sinbad." she greeted. In any other case she wouldn't have used his rank along with his name-for some reason, it simply sounded foreign on her tongue-but she didn't want to appear disrespectful while in the company of others nor bring shame to the purple-haired man.

"I'm glad to see you safe." said Sinbad with a sincere smile. "Did you find Alibaba?"

"I did. He was in a bit of a pinch when I found him but I took care of that. He took off on his own. Whatever it is that he wants to do, he needs to do it alone."

"I see. Actually, I'm on my way to meet the King and maybe put an end to all this before it gets out of hand. And I suspect that Alibaba is already there. Please, accompany me."

Sakura looked up at him in surprise. "But King Sinbad…..It's not my place to partake in such an important meeting. I doubt that my presence would be taken well."

"Nonsense!" The man smiled at her and for just a moment Sakura felt her heart accelerate but she quickly shook it off. "Believe it or not, you have involved yourself far too much already. If it makes you feel better, I officially declare you an ally of Sindria and a personal friend of mine and let the diplomatic directors of the Seven Seas Alliance bear witness to this act." He said and motioned to the three people that were standing behind him.

Sakura stared at him for a little while longer before chuckling and shaking her head. _'What am I going to do with this man?'_ She looked up at him with sparkling emerald eyes and a conspiring smile. "Very well. If that is that you wish….my King." She bowed before him once more before taking her place beside him.

Sinbad stared at her in the corner of his eye. From the long pink locks to the high cheek bones and the mesmerizing emerald of her irises. Her face was set in determination and her stride was steady and confident as she walked. His eyes fell on a trail of blood on her neck that made him stop abruptly.

"Sakura, you're hurt."

She looked at him startled for a moment before her hand flew to the slash on her neck and she smiled sheepishly at him. "This? Oh it's just a scratch. Nothing to worry about. Give it a couple of days and it will be fine." The blood had already began to dry on her skin. In his eyes, it didn't suit her at all…..

There was something about her…Something vague and yet so specific….And it was eluding him. No matter how hard he tried he just couldn't put his finger on it. She was a puzzle. A puzzle that for some reason he wanted to solve no matter what. He had met many women in his life but none had ever gotten such a reaction out of him. _'What is it with this woman? What is so special about her?' _He shook his head to get rid of those thoughts. It was not the right time for his mind to wander. He was about to stand between Balbadd and the ambitions of the Kou Empire. He couldn't afford any distractions.

With a determined expression and hard golden eyes, he guided his company through the gates of the palace.

XxxOxOxOxxX

Sinbad made an entrance, as Sakura had expected. The moment they walked inside the throne room all eyes were immediately on them and especially Sinbad. She had to give it to him. He certainly knew how to make his presence known.

"Sinbad!" exclaimed Alibaba in surprise before his gaze fell on her. His golden eyes lit up at the sight of the pink-haired woman. "Sakura! I'm so glad to see you!" He breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at her sincerely. The rosette smiled back and winked at him.

"I'll take more than a human-sized cat to take me down, Alibaba."

Clever emerald eyes surveyed the room, taking in both familiar and unfamiliar faces. She almost snickered when she saw the man that she guessed was the King of Balbadd. She couldn't help but compare him to another King she knew with long purple hair and scintillating golden eyes. _'Can't even compare…..This man seems unfit to lead a herd of sheep, much less an entire kingdom…..' _Her eyes fell on another man who resembled the King that she guessed was the Deputy King she had heard of. _'Seriously, what's with this place's royalty? The man seems terrified! Even simple lordlings back home have more backbone than this…'_ There was a number of guards gathered around but they didn't appear hostile or threatening in the least. Quite the contrary, in fact. The seemed more confused than anything else.

Her eyes narrowed suddenly when her emerald gaze fell on a familiar face that made her muscles tense. Her hand was itching to reach for the kunai in her pouch but she controlled herself. It would be unwise to pull out a weapon in the presence of two kings, three diplomatic directors and an Imperial Princess, no matter how much she disliked her. The young Princess appeared to not have noticed the pink-haired woman watching her. Instead, she was focused on the golden-eyed male and there was a scarlet blush coloring her cheeks. Sakura's eyes narrowed even more.

"I apologize for interrupting right in the middle of such important matters of state." Sinbad said with an easy smile on his face and his arms crossed against his chest but he didn't seem the least bit sorry.

"Who are these people with King Sinbad?" asked one of the guards and many more followed his example, glancing at the three people standing behind Sinbad and the pink-haired woman on his left. He immediately answered their question.

"They are the diplomatic directors from three of the countries in the alliance that I command. And Sakura here is an important ally of Sindria."

"The Seven Seas Alliance. The alliance that King Sinbad formed between seven different kingdoms." said one man that Sakura guessed was the Captain of Guard and she looked up at the man beside her in surprise. Forming alliances was never easy. All parties had to agree on certain terms and more often than not diplomatic meetings escalated into full-out brawls. Heck! She could still remember that they had to go through hell and back in order to form that post-war alliance with Suna and Ame and it was on more than one occasion that she had to hold Tsunade back from punching the face of an annoying elder or two. To think that he had managed to form one between seven different countries…. _'You are full of surprises, aren't you? Sinbad…' _

"Why are the diplomatic directors of those countries here?" asked the Deputy King and Sakura had to admit that she had been wondering the same.

"To recommend Prince Alibaba Saluja to be the king of Balbadd."

This time Sakura couldn't contain her gasp and judging by the more than startled expressions on the faces of the other occupants of the room, no one had been expecting this. Sinbad turned to Alibaba and walked closer to him. "I thought that you needed to become King in order to save Balbadd, so I called them over. But you thought of a completely different method."

Alibaba lowered his eyes. "I apologize for going off by myself and not saying anything. And I ask you to forgive me Sakura. You put your life in danger for my sake. But this is my answer." When he looked up his eyes were burning with determination.

"Excuse me!" the Princes exclaimed. "What do you mean by recreate? And the People's Republic? Have you forgotten? All of Balbadd's right have been transferred to the Kou Empire as collateral for Balbadd's many loans."

"I am well aware of that fact. This country owns nothing. Even if its organization were to change, those rights will not return."

Sakura scowled when she saw the Princess smile. The smile however soon faded from her lips when Alibaba met her gaze with hard golden eyes.

"Therefore, I would like you to pretend that those transfers of rights did not happen."

"What?!"

"That kingdom of Balbadd that you speak of no longer exists. The country that is being created now is a completely different, new entity. As such, it does not need to inherit the old treaties established with the Kou Empire. Don't you agree?"

Both the Princess and her follower were staring at the blonde boy as if he had just grown two heads. Despite not liking them, Sakura couldn't really blame them. Alibaba had just torn to pieces whatever claims the Kou Empire had on Balbadd.

"At any rate, the fact that there is no one for you to marry tomorrow stands. Will you consider bringing my request to annul all former treaties back to the Kou Emperor first before we proceed?"

The Princess was skeptical. "What nonsense."….is what my father will say when I bring your request back to him."

"You mission to marry the King of Balbadd cannot be fulfilled. Please return home."

The Princess breathed deeply before answering. "The Kou Empire's goal was to gain control of this land completely and without too much bloodshed. If he is unable to, he may turn to militaristic methods."

It was becoming increasingly difficult for Sakura to keep herself from marching over and slapping the Princess so hard that her handprint would remain imprinted on her skin for the rest of her royal life. _'Is she really threatening us? She dares throw threats in the presence of two kings and three diplomatic envoys?'_ Alibaba's outburst interrupted her thoughts before they became a bit more….._bloody_.

"Please ask him to dispense with that ambition as well!"

"You….impudent child!"

'_That's it! I'm going to punch her all the way to her precious Kou Empire!' _Sakura managed to take a sharp step forward but a hand around her arm stopped her. She looked up at Sinbad who shook his head, telling her to stay back. She held his gaze for a little while longer before she regained her place at his side but she hoped that her eyes had gotten her message across.

"I am not asking this of him for nothing in return. We will return the favor with the profits that we bring in from out marine trade. Those profits will not be less than what the Kou Empire could gain by taking over. Balbadd is the most powerful cornerstone of southeastern marine trade. Will you set fire to this land through war and turn it into barren ground, or will you treat us kindly and reap our profits? The choice is yours. If the Kou Emperor is truly a wise man, with not only military strength but also political prowess, which one do you thing he will choose?"

Sakura could tell that Alibaba had cornered the Princess and she felt strangely proud of the boy. It was as clear as day that he had put much thought in what he was saying and he had not just simply barged in like they had first thought.

The Princess gritted her teeth in anger. "I will not listen to your flawed logic!"

"I do not think His Majesty of the Kou Empire will turn to military conquest." All eyes turned to Sinbad and Sakura immediately took note of how quickly the Princess's anger dissolved once she looked at the purple-haired male. "Because the Republic of Balbadd will join the Seven Seas Alliance. We do not invade, nor do we allow others to invade us. That is our creed. I believe that His Majesty respects out Alliance and our beliefs."

The Princess agreed, albeit reluctantly. "That is true. But will you really include Balbadd in the powerful Seven Seas Alliance? I don't know if I can believe that."

"It is true!" exclaimed Alibaba. "The agreement has been in the works for quite some time now. Balbadd has had very close relations with Sindria since the time of the king two generations ago."

"Is that true, Ka Koubun?"

"That is true." the man stammered. "But that has nothing to do with the current situation!"

The red-haired princess sighed. "It seems like it would be better to leave this matter to His Majesty." She turned to Alibaba. "I have a condition if I am to withdraw here. It is on the matter of Balbadd joining the Seven Seas Alliance. If it really is true, I ask that you come to the Kou Empire and prove it, King Sinbad."

For some reason, a really long line of protest rose to Sakura's lips but she held it in before she said something that she would later regret. It was just…The thought of Sinbad going to the Kou Empire didn't sit very well with her. From what she had heard, the Kou Empire's ambitions had expanded over the years and their imperialistic tendencies were no secret. They could take him hostage in order to make claims or kill him or…A number of things that could go wrong flashed through her mind in mere seconds. It was a bad habit of hers; coming up with all the worst-case scenarios but she couldn't help it. It had happened to her numerous times while on missions and beforehand planning was what had kept her alive.

"I most certainly will." answered Sinbad with a serious expression on his face. Sakura cast a worried glance in his direction but it quickly turned to one of annoyance when she noticed the scarlet blush on the Princess's face. _'Seriously, what's wrong with this girl?'_

"Then that is all." she said timidly, completely in contrast to her previous tone, and turned around to leave, her advisor trailing behind her.

"We're safe!" The guards began to cheer around them as they threw their spears to the ground and hugged each other. A wide smile appeared on Sakura's face and she quickly walked over to Alibaba who seemed as if the weight of the world had just been lifted off his shoulders. She ruffled his hair fondly and smiled down at him.

"You were amazing Alibaba! I'm so proud of you!" she said truthfully and it warmed her heart to see the smile that lit up his features. However, it was short lived and as his smile faded so did Sakura's.

"Hey, what's wrong Alibaba?"

"I'm sorry…."

"Eh? What for?"

"For putting your life in danger. I shouldn't have left you to fight him alone. You could have gotten hurt or worse…killed…"

The pink-haired woman stared at him with an unreadable expression on her face before snorting. "For a man who just saved an entire country, you sure are dumb."

Alibaba looked up in surprise. "Wha-"

He didn't get to finish his sentence. A pair of arms closed around his shoulders and pulled him closer to a warm body. Sakura rested her cheek against the side of the startled boy's head. "Don't ever say that again. I would have willingly given my life on the spot if it meant keeping you safe. I care about you Alibaba. I want to see you happy. And I want you to know that I will protect you until the light fades from my eyes." It was hard putting it into words and hearing herself utter those words made her realize just how much she truly meant them. She had only known him for a little while, but she had grown to truly care about him. About him and Morgiana and little Aladdin…When the boy returned her embrace, it was all worth it.

"Now, let's cheer up!" she said mirthfully as she released him and pinched his cheek ignoring the 'ow' that left his lips. "Oh, and if you ever decide to stupidly get up and take off on your own without telling me, I will punch your teeth out!" The cheerful tone of her voice and the sickly sweet smile adorning her face as she looked at him with her hands on her hips made the blonde boy sweat-drop.

"R-Right…."

A couple of feet away, Sinbad watched her with a smile and his heart beating a bit faster…..

**TBC**

**Kya! This is it people! Sinbad has started walking down the road with no return! The destination? Sakura, of course! And we even saw Sakura get a **_**tiny bit**_** jealous (though she doesn't know it yet!)! Don't worry Saku-chan! Sinbad has eyes only for you (well, not yet but eventually he will!)! Both of them are taking steps towards romance but we will probably see something a bit more **_**obvious**_** and **_**serious**_** after they reach Sindria. I hope I'm not rushing it. I mean, it's not exactly love at first sight and feelings do need some time to develop. The same goes for Sakura's relationship with Alibaba. But I guess, if you save someone's life a couple of times, you inevitably form a bond with them. Sakura and Kougyoku are probably going to have issues later on! Too bad for Kougyoku, if you ask me. Anyway, I had this half-way finished when I updated the other chapter so that's why it came up so quickly. I hope you liked the chapter! I think that my favorite part is the hug and the small conversation between Alibaba and Sakura at the end. Next chapter's coming up really soon so stay tuned! READ AND REVIEW! **

**Lots of love! **


	10. Chapter 10

Sakura tried to hide the amused smile on her face as she continued to watch Alibaba get reprimanded by Sinbad for being so careless. The blonde boy kind of deserved it but it was still amusing to see the same Alibaba that had just successfully faced an Imperial Princess acting like a little boy getting scolded by his father.

"I'm sorry for acting the way I did….."

"Well, what's done is done." the purple-haired King said with a sigh. "What do you plan to do now?"

"In order to build a republic we need to gather representatives and hold council. For that to happen, we need to establish a temporary government."

"That does make sense." commented the Captain of Guard before glancing behind him. "But what is to happen to the Ahbmad? Surely, the people will want to see him executed. But we also bear the same crimes. Instead of death, let us work for the rest of our lives as recompense." he said as he kneeled down beside the dethroned king.

"Wait!" exclaimed Alibaba."Right now, this country does not have the ability to punish anyone." The people around him looked at the blonde boy in surprise. "Because we are going to rewrite out entire penal code as well, right? Let us work together to slowly build Balbadd back up and give these people the lives they deserve."

'_Well done Alibaba…..' _thought Sakura as she watched the young man with satisfaction.

"I believe we should follow the example of the city-state of Kashugan in the Central Desert. They have also successfully switched over to a republic. I believe that Balbadd too should become a democracy where all people can equally participate in government."

Sinbad chuckled. "You really are serious about this."

Alibaba nodded determinedly and was about to speak when he was interrupted by a foreign voice.

"I wonder how well that will go."

Sakura berated herself for not noticing that particular presence before. Why hadn't she noticed him earlier? He should have been the first person to catch her eye the moment she walked in. For the man standing a few feet away from them bore striking similarities to those men that had sent her here. From the dark-grey and white robes to the white cloth draped over his shoulders and the weird staff in his hands, it was almost too much to be a coincidence.

Her eyes narrowed dangerously and she immediately tensed. Instinctively, her hand reached for the kunai in her weapons pouch and this time she didn't even try to stop herself. Her sudden change in demeanor didn't go unnoticed by Sinbad whose clever eyes quickly picked up on her sudden hostility. Subtly, he moved closer to her and gripped the hand that was gripping the kunai. His touch sent a jolt up her arm and she turned to look at him with eyes that clearly spoke of what she thought of that robe-clad man. He nodded sharply at her with serious eyes and she quickly caught up on what he meant. Though he trusted the man no more than she did, it was not the right time. However, she should definitely keep her guard up. Albeit reluctantly, she pulled her hand from her pouch and balled it at her side. Sinbad was right but he couldn't possibly know what finding this man meant to her. It was clear that he was one of them, Al-Thamen or however they were called. And since he was one them, then he probably knew where that man with the checked man was.

'_I need to find him…..'_ She watched the man through narrowed calculating eyes as he spoke.

"I have seen many different countries and in all republics, a ruler always pushes himself above the people, and causes the republic to fail. In the end, people need to be ruled. I'm sure that a king will rise up again in this country as well. I'd bet on it."

The man reminded Sakura much of a leech or a worm or anything else that's slimy and disgusting. The unfaltering grin on his face made her stomach knot. As if he knew something that they didn't…..Something important…She had always been one to trust her instincts and right now, every fiber of her being was screaming at her that she should have killed the man when she had the chance. _'Danger….Darkness and danger…...' _Subtly, she inched closer to Alibaba. She needed to be sure that she would be near the boy should things take a turn for the worse.

"Even so, I want to create a country where everyone is equal." answered the blonde boy and Sakura took comfort in the fact that the man's words hadn't affected Alibaba's determination.

"Prince Alibaba." All eyes turned to a guard who kneeled before the third prince. "The people of Balbadd are pressing in on the palace. We can no longer hold them back."

"I understand. I'll go speak to them now."

The number of people waiting outside the palace was impressively big. The courtyard was flooded with people and even more were waiting anxiously behind the gates. Judging by the sheer numbers of them, it was a miracle they hadn't breached the palace gates yet. Alibaba stood on the balcony alone and while Sakura didn't really like the idea of leaving him out in the open like that with no protection, she listened to Sinbad's advice and stayed back. The people of Balbadd needed to listen to their prince alone.

"People of Balbadd! Please listen to me! Today, King Ahbmad has abdicated the throne. But there is no king to succeed him. Instead, Balbadd will cease to be a monarchy and recreate itself as a republic. The Kingdom of Balbadd will recreate itself as the Republic of Balbadd!"

Whispers rose from the crowd as the people started conversing among themselves about what their third prince had just announced. Sakura understood that it was a lot to take in. For a country that had only known the ruling hand of a king, abolishing the monarchy and making the transition to a republic would be difficult and possibly problematic at first. Old habits do die hard and it would take a while for the people of Balbadd to get used to the new regime but in the end, Sakura had no doubt that with the right guidance everything would work out. Perhaps not as ideally as Alibaba hoped but it would still be a lot better than it was under Ahbmad's reign.

For a moment, Sakura felt a slight change in the air and for a second she felt her chakra spike but she brushed it off as a bit of paranoia. She did have the habit of being annoyingly cautious and suspicious at times. She shook the feeling off and continued to watch Alibaba.

"In a republic, people rule themselves. In my opinion, that is what the people of Balbadd have already been doing. In this crippled country, inflicted with heavy taxation, poverty, stress, and many other injustices, you have protected your families as though they were your own territories and governed yourselves to the best of your ability. In that not so?"

More whispering rose from the crowd as the citizens hung on every word that left the boy's lips.

"There is still much war and chaos and abnormality in this world. None of us are immune to these things. But when they befall us, and we find ourselves searching for a course of action, all we need to do is work hard together. Even when the solution isn't that obvious, we will come up with one that allows us to live happily with our families and hope in our hearts! Let us decide our own fates and carve our path with our own two hands and create a place where we can live in peace and happiness! That place is the new country of Balbadd!"

The crowd erupted in cheers as the cry of 'the Perublic of Balbadd' rose in the air. Sakura could see the content expression on Alibaba's face and a satisfied smile split her face, an expression that was mirrored on Sinbad's face a few feet away. Despite his young age, Alibaba had spoken like a true ruler, a true king. For a moment, Naruto flashed through her mind and a feeling of homesickness crept into her heart. She shook it off. She would dwell on that later, after things had quieted down and she when would be alone in the confines of her mind that no one could access…

Alibaba turned to her with eyes that could light up a whole room and a wide smile that made her heart swell with joy. Sakura smiled back at him before bowing her head in respect. It was praise that he deserved and had earned and the pink-haired woman found herself believing more and more that Alibaba would one day achieve greatness. A man worth following…

Sakura allowed a content smile to grace her lips. _'Everything is going to be alright…'_

And then, all hell broke loose.

XxxOxOxOxxX

Sakura was the first one to see him making his way through the crowd. Since that day she healed little Aladdin by forcing her chakra to fuse with his magoi, her ability to sense both elements had increased drastically. The dark energy that boy was carrying with him was hard to miss. The moment she glanced into his eyes, she knew that things were far from over and certainly far from being alright. _'Karma, you must really hate me…..'_ She moved as close to Alibaba as she could without drawing attention to herself. The blonde boy was the second to notice the group of people tearing through the crowd. His golden eyes rested on a particular figure, whose strange weapon was glinting threateningly under the light of the sun.

"Kassim's here."

The people of Balbadd parted to let the group pass. More whispers arose as they passed and a few of the older men even had worried looks on their faces. A young man walked up to the long haired boy with a smile.

"Hey, you don't have to do this anymore. Balbadd no longer has a king. Prince Alibaba said that the country belongs to the people! And so, you no longer have a reason to fight."

A look of surprise crossed the young man's face and for a moment Sakura dared hope that he and his group would proceed no further. However, her hopes were crushed when he began to walk forward with an almost mocking smile on his face.

"I heard that Balbadd has become a republic. That what was once a King's country is to be given equally to its people. What a load of crap."

Gasps rose from the crowd and Sakura worriedly glanced at Alibaba, whose once content expression had now turned to one of confusion and worry.

"You said this country will be given to us. But isn't this whole country built up on our own sweat and blood? Wasn't it ours to begin with? Who destroyed this country through incompetent policies? Who made us put up with a terrible government? You remember these days." he continued and turned to the people. "When heavy taxes took everything from us. When starvation took our parents, our siblings. The dead won't ever come back!"

Sakura watched with growing fear as the expressions on the people's faces changed. Kassim turned to look up at Alibaba once more. "If the monarchy disappears, do the crimes of the monarchy disappear with it? Of course not! The monarchy is still an enemy we must defeat!"

"He's right. A republic won't bring my daughter back."

"Nor will it bring back my sister."

"Turning this country into a republic doesn't make sense right now."

Alibaba gasped in fear and Sakura watched with widened eyes as the people of Balbadd that not a moment ago were cheering the prospect of a republic on, were now cursing the idea like they would curse death. _'How….? Are they blind? He is trying to pull them in a whole new bloodshed! How can they agree with him? Do they really want to see their country bleed more than it already has?'_ A quick survey of the crowd with her eyes provided her with the answer she needed. Among the crowd of people, her emerald eyes caught sight of a young woman whose weapon greatly resembled the one strapped to the boy's arm, the only difference being the fact that the female's blade was emitting a strange red fog that was spreading at an alarming rate. _'They are playing with their minds…..They are manipulating them…'_ She had seen such ways of 'persuasion_' _before while on a mission in the Land of Snow.She resisted the urge to hurl a kunai at the woman. Many people had seen her with Alibaba and killing the girl with so many thousands of eyes looking would only destroy what Alibaba had fought so hard to build.

"Come! Now is the time we take a stand! Now is the time we punish the royalty, the nobles, and the military who stole our country from us!"

The crowd erupted in roars of rage as they began their march on the palace gates.

"No way!" exclaimed Sinbad and Sakura gritted her teeth at the sight of Alibaba's fear-filled expression. However, her own eyes widened a moment later. _'W-What is that?'_ Emanating from the boy, Kassim, and the enraged crowd, a tremendous amount of dark butterflies rose to the sky. They resembled the ones she had seen while healing Aladdin in shape and size but these were an evil pitch black color that made her sick. She hissed when the scar under her joint started to throb painfully. She tried numbing the pain with her healing chakra and cursed when she realized that it wasn't working. She glanced up at the cloud of darkness gathering above the palace and gasped when she saw light butterflies fighting against the dark ones. _'This must be the Rukh Sinbad was referring to…' _For a moment, she felt the pain in her arm subside as the Light Rukh won more ground but it soon returned stronger than before when more dark butterflies rose in the air to swallow the light. She couldn't stop the scream that left her lips as she fell to one knee, tightly clutching the place where the scar was in a futile attempt to lessen the pain.

"Sakura!" Sinbad rushed to her side and fell to his knees beside her. "Are you alright? What's wrong? Talk to me!" She bit her lip tightly to keep herself from screaming once more and showed him the scar. He quickly caught up on what she meant as he helped her stand. Sakura gritted her teeth and straightened her body. The pain was becoming worse by the second as the darkness fell thicker around them but she had to bear it. She had to! She took a step forward only to be stopped by Sinbad's grip on her shoulders.

"What are you doing? You shouldn't be moving!"

"I have to help the people."

"But you are in pain."

"They will be in far worse pain if we just stand here. Look. Do you see her? She is controlling people's minds with that weapon of hers."

"Magic tools…They are using magic tools….Damn it!"

"I don't know what they are using and frankly, I don't really care. Right now, all I care about is keeping the people of Balbadd safe. I need to stop them before more blood is shed." She freed herself from his grip and walked to the edge of the balcony, the whole of Balbadd laid at their feet. "Please keep Alibaba safe…..and yourself….." Without glancing back, Sakura jumped from the balcony…

**TBC**

**Ok people, chapter's up! So, Sakura came face to face with a member of Al-Thamen at last and she doesn't like him one bit. Also, Kassim has appeared along with his Fog Troupe and things are certainly going to take a turn for the worse. On top of that, we even found out new information about Sakura's scar with a small SinbadXSakura moment in between. I hope you liked the chapter. The next chapter is coming up soon so stay tuned! Thank you for supporting this story! READ AND REVIEW!**

: / fc07. deviantart fs70 / i / 2014 / 197 / 2 / 8 / and_so_the_sea_began_to_sing_sinbad_and_sakura_by_ trueheartsglow - d7qxavj . jpg** - SinbadXSakura FanArt I submitted in DeviantArt. Go check it out if you want and tell me what you think! You just take out the spaces! **

**Lots of love! **


	11. Chapter 11

"Kill them! Kill everyone in the palace! Kill all the nobles!"

Sakura slid down the wall with chakra glowing around her hands in order to keep herself attached to the hard surface. Kassim's orders rang in her ear as she willed her body to go as fast as she could without burning her fingers. She glanced down and cursed. The palace guards could do nothing as the enraged crowd attacked them. Members of the rebel group cut through the guards, killing them mercilessly as they went. Blood dripped from their strange blades. The blood of the citizens of Balbadd….Sakura growled. _'What kind of people are they? Killing their brothers like that…'_ She was a kunoichi and so killing was in her nature but she'd rather have both her arms cut off than raise her kunai against a fellow Konoha ninja like that. The moment her feet touched the hard stone of the courtyard, she hit the ground running, knocking the more aggressive of the attacking citizens out here and there. Better have then unconscious than on a rampage.

She could see that the guards were hesitating and were trying to avoid hurting the people but that left them vulnerable. The rebels killed without remorse as they continued their march on the palace. Sakura searched their group with her narrowed eyes and isolated the woman creating the fog. However, it would be impossible to reach her without engaging in combat and unavoidably killing at least a couple of the rebels. _'Bastards….They are protecting her by standing around her…'_ They were closing in on the palace and Sakura cursed. _'I have to buy Alibaba time…..'_ She pulled a kunai out of her pouch and leapt in front of the advancing group, effectively blocking their way. The rebels, with Kassim on the lead, stared at her in surprise. A couple of men snickered at her making the pink-haired woman growl. _'Go on like that and I'll wipe the smirks off your faces, don't you worry….'_

Kassim stared at her for a moment, his long dreadlocks swaying in the wind. Apparently, he deemed her not enough of a threat for he began to walk once more. Sakura watched him calmly as the group approached. In the blink of an eye, a kunai was logged in the ground mere centimeters from the leader's feet. The rebels started at the blade glistering under the light of the fires burning around them and Sakura immediately noticed that they were watching her a bit more cautiously than before. _'Good.'_

"I wouldn't take another step if I were you."

Kassim glared at her heatedly. "Get out of my way woman, before I make you regret it." He pointed his weapon at her threateningly.

"Watch your mouth, boy. I was killing with a blade before you could even walk."

He growled at her angrily and with a sharp nod of his head a bulky man from among his group charged at her. Sakura rolled her eyes. _'They never want to go with the easy way, do they?' _She easily avoided the attack and a well-aimed hit at the back of the neck was all it took to plunge the man into unconsciousness. She turned to Kassim once more, her previous calmness replaced by an icy aura.

"I won't say it again. Get your lot and walk away before things get out of hand." She saw his eyes flash with anger and by the way his muscles tensed she knew that he was about to lunge at her. _'Well, I guess it can't be helped….'_ She took out a second kunai and held it in front of her defensively in case he decided to attack her. She would try not to kill him-apparently he and Alibaba had a past-but that was up to him. Should he try anything that would further endanger the innocent then she would be forced to take matters into her own hands. She met his glare with a hard glint in her emerald eyes, preparing herself for an attack that never came. A ring of fire circled the group of rebels, effectively cutting them off. Sakura raised an eyebrow in surprise but Kassim quickly caught up on what was going on. He narrowed his eyes. "He's here."

A figure descended the stairs behind them and Sakura immediately recognized the familiar silhouette and stride of Alibaba. His face was a mask of determination and his golden eyes held a hard glint, completely unlike his usually warm gaze. He stopped beside her.

"Thank you for everything you've done Sakura but I must ask you to stay out of this. This is something I must do alone. Do not interfere." he said without glancing at her but she knew that he had seen her nod at him in a silent promise. Given his past with the long-haired rebel, she understood his need to face this one fight alone. To him, this fight was something more than just a clash for the well-being of Balbadd and its people. To Alibaba, this was his last chance to save his friend. The situation hit a bit too close to home for her liking. Sakura shook her head to rid herself of those thoughts. This was not the time to wander down memory lane and especially where Sasuke was concerned. She stepped back and watched as the blonde prince walked through the flames. She would respect his wish to do this alone but should she realize that he was in danger, she would not hesitate to interfere. The thought of his death scared her more than having to face his anger later.

They stared each other down before Kassim smirked.

"Yo, Alibaba. What's the matter? That's one scary face you got."

"Kassim, what are you planning? The monarchy is done for. There is no reason for all this bloodshed! Why are you doing this? Answer me Kassim!"

The boy with the dreadlocks glared at him before smirking. "I could ask you the same thing, Alibaba. Equality? A country without a king? When did I ever wish for something like that?" he roared and a strange dark substance shot from his blade towards Alibaba.

"Damn it, Kassim!" The blonde jumped to avoid the blow only to have more members of the rebel group fire similar shots at him.

Watching from some distance away, Sakura gritted her teeth. _'Damn it! Why did I have to promise that I wouldn't interfere?'_

Alibaba's dagger erupted in flames, making the dark fog dissolve but his momentary advantage proved useless as the female of the group engulfed him with her crimson fog, blinding his vision. Kassim took a few steps towards the blonde boy, who was trying hard to clear his eyes. Sakura tensed and prepared herself to lunge in case he decided to attack Alibaba in the vulnerable state he was in.

"Say, Alibaba. Do you think that a royal's kid should live like royalty? And that a kid from the slums should live like a slum's brat?"

Tendrils of black fog trapped Alibaba's arms rendering his dagger and sword hand useless.

Kassim continued to speak. "I don't. We're all humans." Huge amounts of dark fog rose from his blade to form a frightening sphere of darkness above his head. "Which means that any of us is qualified to become king." He brought his hand down and sent the sphere spiraling towards a trapped Alibaba.

"No!" yelled Sakura and shot forward only to stop abruptly in amazement.

"Amon!" Fire shot in the air as Alibaba tore through the sphere of darkness with his blade, earning surprised gasps from Kassim and his followers.

"What's that?"

"Look at his sword!"

The impressive black blade in Alibaba's hands shone under the light of the fire making Sakura's eyes widen in astonishment. _'Such an amazing sword…..' _Most swordsmen she knew would kill for a chance to hold such a breathtaking blade.

Alibaba's eyes were frighteningly cold when he looked up at the boy that was once a brother to him. "In other words, Kassim, you wanted to become king. Isn't that right?" The eerie calmness of his voice made Sakura think of the calm before the storm.

"Who knows?"

"Then what?" roared Alibaba. "Why have you involved so many people in this? I won't let you do as you please!" He positioned his sword in front of him, ready for battle.

"Shut up already!" One of the rebels charged at him with his weapon poised to strike. "I'll melt your mouth of with my sword of corroding golden fog! Take this!" One swing of Amon's sword was all it took. The blade strapped to the rebel's arm snapped it tow with the pieces flying in the air before landing a few feet away. As soon as the bulky man was out of the way, Alibaba charged forward. The rest of the group readied themselves with their own weapons placed defensively in front of them but their feeble attempt at facing the blonde prince was futile. Amon's sword cut through the sharpened steel of the blades as if they were made of paper making the rebels cover their faces to shield themselves from the scraps of broken metal. In the blink of an eye, Alibaba had his sword pressed against Kassim's neck.

"Call back your troops, Kassim. Or I'll make you do it by force."

For a moment, Sakura forgot how to breathe as she, along with everyone else, anticipated the answer of the rebels' leader. _'If he knows what's good for him, he'll back down. If not….' _

"I won't back down Alibaba."

'_I was afraid he would say something like that…..It can never end the easy way, can it?' _

"I'd rather die than back down here." He stood up with the black sword still dangerously close to his neck. "You came here determined to do the same, didn't you? So let's fight. To the death. Fight to the death, Alibaba!"

'_Don't let him get to you, Alibaba! Please don't!'_ thought Sakura as she watched the events unfold.

"Damn you, Kassim!"

"Please strike prince Alibaba!" shouted the Captain of Guard from behind the boy. "One strike and all will end!"

'_Do it Alibaba! That man is no longer the brother you used to know! Do it now!' _the pink-haired woman screamed in her head but she couldn't bring herself to utter those words out loud. How could she? She would feel like such a hypocrite when she herself hadn't had the strength to do the same a few years back. How different would things have turned out if she had delivered that blow? How different would _she_ have turned out if she had killed Sasuke that day?

The moment Alibaba swung his sword was one that none of them would be forgetting anytime soon. The blade should have easily torn through skin and bone and muscle and everything would have ended right then and there. To the absolute horror and amazement of everyone present, the great black sword disappeared the instant it was supposed to come in contact with Kassim's neck only to be replaced by Alibaba's normal dagger. The blonde boy cursed as he fell to his knees trembling. Sakura gasped when she saw the tears in his eyes. Too focused as she was on the boy, she didn't even notice Sinbad and Morgiana enter the scene.

"As if I could do that, you idiot! If you withdraw your troops now Kassim, the revolt will stop! If that happens, there will still be a chance for you too. So please!"

Sakura felt her blood boil when Kassim smiled mockingly at the blonde. "You are too soft, Alibaba." He approached the kneeling boy and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm nowhere near as naïve as you are. See ya."

Sakura rushed to Alibaba's side and fell to her knees beside him. "Alibaba! Are you alright? Are you hurt? Talk to me!" she commanded but the boy appeared to be in some kind of shocked state as he watched the boy he considered his brother walk away from him. She couldn't really blame him; not after all this. But he had to get a grip and stand back up. The whole of Balbadd had placed their faith in him and she would be damned if she allowed him to go down without a fight. She was about to call forth her healing chakra when gasps of horror from Alibaba and the ones around snapped her out of her thoughts. For a moment she was almost scared to look but when she did, a gasp of her own escaped her lips and she watched in morbid fascination as Kassim drove his own broken blade in his stomach. Blood spouted from the wound and Sakura gripped Alibaba's shoulders in a feeble attempt to offer him whatever comfort she could.

"Take a good look, people of the slums! Military, nobles and royalty too!" shouted Kassim as blood covered his clothes and darkened the grey stone around his feet. "I'll show you proof that anyone can be a container for power! Come to me now!"

His sword began to glow with a dark purplish light and Sakura watched with growing panic and fear as the shards of steel that used to be his followers' weapons gathered above his head with the same sick purple glow around them. During the Forth Shinobi War she had seen things that she'd rather forget but none as horrific as a man deliberately willing a number of sharpened steel blades to pierce through him and still standing tall with a smirk and a crazed look in his eyes as his body absorbed the steel.

And as Sakura watched Kassim transform into the most frightening black demon she had ever laid eyes on, she knew that they had just taken a step down a road they might never come back from…..

**TBC**

**Ok people! Things have definitely gotten worse and Sakura is, as always, caught in the middle! There was no Sinbad/Sakura interaction in this chapter but things will heat up a bit more between them in later chapters, especially after they reach Sindria. I don't have anything else to say about the chapter, only that I can't keep my fingers off the keyboard. The next chapter is coming up soon so stay on alert! Thank you for reading and for all your wonderful reviews. Sorry for any mistakes! Please tell me what you think! Until next time….READ AND REVIEW!**

**Lots of love!**


	12. Chapter 12

Sakura knew that she had to act and fast but she found herself frozen in place with her blood pounding in her ears and her legs refusing to follow her commands. _'Impossible…' _It definitely wasn't her first encounter with a demon-after all, both her teammates had a demonic streak-and the Kyuubi certainly was one intimidating example but the darkness emanating from this particular monster was so powerful that it almost suffocated her.

The creature roared a fear-inducing roar as it flew over their heads, making some of the guards tremble in fear. Sakura couldn't blame them. She herself was having trouble processing all that happened on the spur of two minutes despite having a number of encounters with demons and other extraordinary phenomena in her record. She glanced at the boy in her grip. _'He is going through shock….'_

The creature roared once more and Sakura watched with fear as spheres of dark energy reduced some of the palace guards to nothing but bloodstains on the ground. Screaming followed and she shook the blonde boy's shoulders in an attempt to wake him from his trance. "Snap out of it, Alibaba!" She picked him up and jumped to safety as the severed peak of one of the towers collapsed taking out another couple of unlucky guards. Sakura cursed when she saw Morgiana attack the beast. She had to go help the girl but she couldn't leave Alibaba on his own, not in the state he was in. She slapped him hard in the face. "Get a grip on yourself! Everyone will die if you don't!" She saw his eyes flicker to her but his gaze quickly focused on the black demon once more.

"Is that…..Is that Kassim?" he stammered disbelievingly.

"Kassim is gone Alibaba! That monster isn't your friend!" she yelled at him, hoping to make him see that his friend was too far gone for him to reach him. The black creature produced one more of those energy spheres and aimed it at them. Sakura stared in horror as it flew towards them with impressive speed and was about to shove Alibaba out of the way when the boy beat her to it. It seemed that even in his shocked state, the prospect of death was enough to wake him from his daze and Sakura allowed a sigh of momentary relief to escape her lips as Amon's sword cut through the darkness and completely severed the Dark Djinn's arm.

"One more time, Alibaba!" yelled Morgiana and Sakura had to agree with the red-haired girl. No matter how Alibaba felt about the situation, the safety of a whole country and countless lives were at stake and she wouldn't allow the blonde boy to make the same mistake she had with Sasuke. Amon's sword erupted in flames and for a moment Sakura dared hope that it would end but her hope was short-lived. The creature roared and Sakura gasped in horror when massive amounts of Dark Rukh came swarming in from all directions.

"He's regenerating!" shouted Alibaba as they watched the Black Djinn's arm grow back. As more Black Rukn flowed in, the body of the monster began to grow and Sakura sprouted to her feet when she saw Morgiana attack the beast barehanded.

"Morgiana! No!" But she was too late. Some kind of magnetic energy grew around the monster's hand that started to pull Morgiana in. Sakura immediately tried to catch the girl with chakra strings but she didn't manage it as the creature sent the young redhead flying over the palace walls with some kind of attack that reminded her of that Sound ninja back in the Forest of Death. She cursed loudly, desperately hoping that the girl was alright. However, she had no time to dwell on that as the Black Djinn began to form a frighteningly big sphere of dark energy in the palm of its clawed hand. _'I gotta do something! But what? With the power to control gravity, we cannot even touch that thing!'_ she thought as she watched the creature aim the devastating attack at the palace. _'If it fires that thing, the palace along with everyone else will be reduced to dust!' _

"I won't let you get away with that!" shouted Alibaba and started to run towards the monster.

"No! Alibaba! Don't go any closer to that thing!" yelled Sakura after him. _'Damn it! That boy is going to be the death of me!' _She sprang forward to follow the boy, leaping over craters and the fallen bodies-or what remained of them- of the palace guards. She stopped dead in her tracks and felt her blood freeze when she saw Sinbad jump on the creature's back before getting hold of its horned head.

"Sinbad!" she yelled in panic. _'What is that man doing?! Is he out of his mind? If that thing catches him, it will crush him!' _She saw the purple-haired man drive his hand through the back of the Djinn's head and the beast roared in rage. _'I gotta help him!'_ Without a second thought she leapt forward and pushed chakra to her fingers before starting to jump around the creature with impressive speed that the eyes of civilians wouldn't be able to follow. Within seconds she had the monster tied with chakra strings. She gritted her teeth and ignored the stinging sensation of the strings digging in the skin of her hands. Even with the help of chakra to keep her body steady, it was hard keeping that thing under control. But she had to; for Alibaba and Morgiana and Sinbad and everybody else….

XxxOxOxOxxX

In the distance, standing on a tall building, a lone figure watched the events unfold. His hair swayed in the wind as Black Rukh danced around him. Crimson eyes, visible through his checked mask, gazed upon the people fighting right outside the royal palace. Hard eyes fell on the purple-haired man holding the Dark Djinn's head.

"The First Singularity…..What an annoyance…..But Black Djinn are made with the Black Rukh gathered from thousands of people. How long will you be able to stand it?"

The man's gaze shifted to a woman with vibrant pink hair and emerald eyes that burned like fire. Crimson eyes narrowed dangerously as he watched the woman use her strange power to trap the Djinn in an impressively strong for a mere human grip.

"The Second Singularity….Brought from another world to serve a purpose and yet refusing to surrender to darkness. A real nuisance she has turned out to be….But it makes no difference. In the end, darkness will swallow her as well….."

He raised his staff and the swirling storm of Black Rukh flew towards the palace…

XxxOxOxOxxX

Sakura gritted her teeth. "Alibaba! Sinbad and I will hold this thing down! You must finish him off!" The boy looked up at her in surprise.

"She's right Alibaba!" yelled Sinbad from his position on the Djinn's head. "This thing wants to kill everyone involved with the monarchy here in Balbadd! It wants a revolution!" The monster continued to trash around and despite Sakura's help, Sinbad was having difficulty maintaining his hold on its horns. "We can't let that happen! A revolution built on bloodshed will be used to justify violence by anyone with the smallest moral causes!" The Black Djinn raised its clawed hand and sank it in the purple-haired King's shoulder.

"Sinbad!" screamed Sakura at the sight of blood soaking the man's white robes.

"You are the only one who can save us from that!" the King of Sindria continued, ignoring the burning pain in his shoulder. "And bring about a bloodless revolution! Kill him Alibaba!"

Blood tickled down Sakura's fingers as the chakra strings dug deeper in her flesh but she tightened her hold on them even more. "Do it Alibaba!" she yelled. "This is not about you or Kassim anymore! This is about the future! A future that no one will get to see if you don't move right now!"

The blonde boy tightened his grip on his black blade and hung his head. For a moment the pink-haired woman feared that he wouldn't do it but he proved her wrong when he leapt forward with his sword covered in flames. For just a second, Sakura dared hope that it would end but she gasped in horror when she saw that the blade couldn't pierce the huge Djinn's body. Her eyes widened. _'If Amon's sword can't cut through it…..' _Panic settled in her stomach as she watched Alibaba try to push forward. She desperately wanted to go to his aid but she couldn't let go of her hold on her chakra strings and the Djinn or else Sinbad and the rest of them were as good as dead. She gritted her teeth. _'Damn it…I can't use my fire jutsu or else I might hurt Sinbad and if I release my chakra strings right now, that thing will crush them both…' _Her emerald eyes widened once more when she saw Amon's fire travel up Alibaba's arm but it was short-lived as a moment later Alibaba was sent flying to a wall. Something was coming through the monster's belly and Sakura realized with horror that it was Kassim's body. _'What kind of sick power is that?'_ Black Rukh flowed in once more to feed the dark monster and Sakura gasped in horror when she saw the beast grab Sinbad and flung him to a wall. She was just about ready to jump after him but she sighed in momentary relief when she saw that a seemingly unhurt Morgiana had managed to catch the man before he hit the wall.

Her eyes hardened and she turned her attention to the beast. Now that Sinbad and Alibaba were at a safe-as safe as it could be-distance, she brought the chakra strings to her mouth and formed a familiar seal before blowing fire through her lips. The stream of flames traveled up the chakra strings and engulfed the monster that roared in rage and what she hoped was pain. _'If the fire burned it, that means that it is not invincible…..'_ Her clever eyes fell on a whole in its stomach. _'Whatever Alibaba did has dealt quite some damage to it…This might be our only chance to kill this thing…..' _

She turned her head towards the blonde prince who was beginning to stand with Sinbad on his left. "Now Alibaba! This is our only chance! You need to finish this! Give it everything you got!" Amon's sword started to glow but Sakura could see that he was hesitating. _'This is not the time to hold back, damn it!' _

"All military forces prepare to attack! Don't let this thing take another step!"

Their heads snapped up at the sound of the Captain of Guard's voice. Blabadd's military force-what remained of it, at least-were gathered around the Black Djinn pointing their spears at it.

"13th platoon, attack! 24th platoon, flank left!"

For a second, Sakura's mind flew back home, to all Konoha shinobi who had fought bravely and fallen honorably to protect their village and their loved ones. Despite the situation, she allowed a small smile to grace her lips. Even if they knew that fighting this thing off with swords and spears was madness, these soldiers were willing to put their lives on the line in order to protect their country. It was an admirable act deserving of respect and praise.

"As if we'd let this monster take Balbadd!"

"We must protect our country!"

Some kind of force field was protecting the black monster but the soldiers kept attacking again and again and again. Sakura felt the energy building up behind her before she even saw it. The guards' loyalty and courage had given Alibaba a new kind of drive to keep on fighting and she knew that he wouldn't be hesitating anymore. She smiled as she watched him jump high in the air with Amon's sword alive with fire, ready to deliver a decisive blow that would determine both their fates and that of Balbadd and all its people.

'_This is it Alibaba. No more hiding. This is it…..' _

However, Fate had other plans and as Alibaba readied himself to give an end to all the pain and bloodshed, Murphy's Law took action. The fire went out from around Amon's sword and the blonde prince was sent crushing to a wall. As Sakura raised her eyes to the sky, she found herself cursing the cruel deity that liked messing with their lives and turning their hope to ashes in their mouths from up there.

For there, floating above their heads with his mouth set in a cruel, hard line and an evil glint in his crimson eyes was the prized Priest of the Kou Empire, the one and only…..

"Judar."

'_Karma, you are one great big bitch…' _

TBC

Note: To all those who aren't aware, Murphy's Law states that "Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong."

Anyway, chapter's here and I really hope you enjoyed it. Things are heating up in Balbadd but they do say that it has to get worse before it gets better and right now, things have definitely taken a turn for the worse. Also, we even got a glimpse as to why Sakura was brought in Balbadd! And Judar appears once more! Next chapter might come up sooner than expected so stay tuned. Until then…READ AND REVIEW!

Lots of love!


	13. Chapter 13

'_Karma, you are one great big bitch…..' _

Sakura growled lowly in her throat as she watched the young, dark-haired male like a hawk. She knew firsthand how dangerous he could be and she wouldn't allow herself to be caught unawares this time.

"Yo. Is this what you wanted? Is he really worth the effort to kill?"

For a moment, Sakura frowned in confusion as she really couldn't understand who he could be talking to. But as her gaze shifted to his right, emerald eyes narrowed dangerously and a snarl that would have made a full-grown man quiver in his boots ripped from her lips. For there, standing on top of a tower was the man that had started everything. The one that was responsible for sending her here and for all that pain and torture she had to go through. The man with the checked mask…..

"Sorry to interrupt your recovery, Magi."

The mere sound of his voice made her stomach turn unpleasantly and every muscle in her body was tense. _'He is the reason I am here…..He is the reason my team was ambushed…..He is the reason Tenten and Ino were possibly hurt…..'_ A growl of rage erupted from her throat and her kunai flew without her realizing it. Some kind of force field deflected it but it did serve its purpose. The man's gaze was on her.

"You!" she snarled. "You treacherous worm!" She could feel the eyes of Alibaba, Morgiana and Sinbad boring holes at the back of her head but her attention was solely focused on the man that was watching her almost indifferently. If anything, his almost apathetic look only served to fuel her anger.

"You know that woman?" asked Judar and his crimson gaze fell on her. In any other case, the penetrating coldness of his eyes might have unnerved her but not this time. While he was ice, she was fire and she was burning. Burning with rage and hatred and a taste for vengeance.

"I do know her, Magi. Our great Father brought her here."

"And you better tell me the fucking reason before I tear you limb from limb! And I swear by all the Gods that I will!" Her wrath was overpowering her better judgment and she knew that in battle, a clouded mind could mean death. But she just couldn't help it. That man had played her Hokage for a fool, had endangered her friends' lives not to mention her own and was the reason those men had tortured her and sent her here. He didn't offer her an answer and merely continued to watch her making her narrow her eyes even more.

"I'm talking to you!" She hurled another kunai in his direction only to have it deflected once more.

"Words are wind, woman. Your time will come."

"Are you threatening me?" she growled and took a warning step forward. Whatever answer she was expecting never came. He completely ignored her question and focused his attention on the dark-haired man floating above their heads.

"He's already destroyed the flow I've tried to build a number of times. He's turning out to be an annoyance this time too. We should dispose of him now."

'_Over my dead body!' _thought Sakura and quickly leapt protectively in front of Alibaba. She knew that she might never get another chance to face the man like this but she valued the lives of her friends too much to jeopardize their safety in order to get answers. If that was the sacrifice she had to make, she would make it willingly. She tore her gaze from the man with the checked mast and focused her attention on the more immediate threat: Judar.

"Yes, but first, what's going on? For some reason I'm brimming with power."

His words made Sakura's stomach knot and she realized that he wasn't merely bluffing. The built up of energy around him was amazingly big, if the amount of Black Rukh dancing around him was any indication. _'Damn it! Things just went from bad to shit to worse….' _

"You are one who has fallen into depravity" the robe-clad man replied. "In a situation like this, with so much Black Rukh flying around, your power can only grow."

Sakura gritted her teeth. _'This is bad. We had trouble defeating him the first time. I can't possibly imagine how we are going to do it this time with his power levels so high….' _She glanced behind her to see Alibaba and Morgiana watching the two men with widened and fear-filled eyes and even Sinbad didn't seem so composed. _'What am I supposed to do? I could try attacking him with jutsu but his force field will protect him and I will only end up wasting my chakra. And even if I manage to get close enough, one move of his wand and I will be crushed.' _Her mind was running a mile a minute as she desperately tried to find a solution that wouldn't end in her or anyone else's unfortunate death. _'And we still have that thing to worry about.'_ She glanced at the Black Djinn. _'Alibaba doesn't have much magoi left and Sinbad is hurt. How am I supposed to get us out of here alive?'_ She had faced near-death situations before-it was part of the job, after all-but this was the first time that she was actually doubting her chances of getting out of it unscathed.

She kept her eyes on Judar, who jumped on the Black Djinn's back, taking Sinbad's place on its head.

"Judar, the Black Djinn is full of dark power, just like you. Use your power to control him. If you can he will become your servant."

Sakura's eyes widened in fear. _'If he manages to control that thing…!'_

"Hurry up and become mine already!" Judar's lightning magic exploded around as he allowed his magoi to flow through the Djinn and make it his. The creature roared but Judar showed no sign of stopping. When the lightning died down and Sakura saw the cruel smirk on the young male's face, her fears were confirmed.

"So, that's how it works. He's great."

'_This is terrible…He was dangerous enough alone. But now that he controls that thing…'_

"Sarg Arsarros!"

The sound of the familiar attack rang in her ears and Sakura immediately sprang to action. With her chakra-enchanted strength, she roughly shoved Alibaba and Morgiana away at what she hoped was a safe distance. She realized her mistake a moment too late. The frighteningly familiar blades of ice were never aimed at them. Her eyes widened in horror as she watched the deadly icy daggers impale their target.

"Sinbad!" she screamed and rushed to the man's side. The ice had easily torn through the skin and muscle of several parts of his body, trapping him against the wall. She tried to touch the ice but pulled her hand back when she saw the frost begin to travel up her finger like fire. She pushed medical chakra to her fingers and started to break the blades of ice while trying to numb the pain as much as she could. Sinbad hissed in pain and Sakura found herself whispering soothing words in his ear like she many times did with her patients.

"It's alright. Everything's going to be okay. I'll heal you, don't worry."

Too focused as she was on healing the purple-haired man, she noticed the blast of lightning heading her way a second too late. She shielded the injured man as best as she could with her body and closed her eyes tightly, bracing herself for the impact. She felt the breath get knocked out of her lungs as she tumbled to the hard ground.

"No! Sakura!" She heard Sinbad franticly calling her name and she forced her eyes to open. She felt a pair of arms around her and she turned her pained neck with difficulty.

"Sakura-san! Are you alright?"

"M-Morgiana?" she asked through torn lips and stared at the girl's worried face. "Please…Help me stand."

"But you shouldn't be moving!"

"Please, Morgiana…"

Her whole body hurt as she stood on shaky feet and she thanked the girl for her help. Fortunately, she had managed to intensify the flow of medical chakra in her body enough to absorb most of the blast's damage. She was lucky to have come out from such an ordeal with just a torn lip, some bruises and a pained body. It could have been much worse and for the umpteenth time Sakura thanked her chakra control and all those gruesome training sessions with Tsunade-sama as well as Kakashi-sensei's persistence to teach them how to minimize damage caused by lightning. She passed her glowing hands over her body and glared at the dark-haired male.

Judar chuckled darkly. "Be good, Sinbad. Don't worry, I won't kill you. I'll make you mine later too! But her…." He turned his crimson eyes to her and pointed his wand at the pink-haired woman. "I don't see why she's so important. No one would care if I got rid of her right here, don't you agree?" He smiled cruelly.

"Judar! Don't you dare!" yelled Sinbad through gritted teeth and glared at the young man.

The crimson-eyes male threw his head back and laughed. "Don't worry, I won't kill her….yet. I'll have my fun with her later. For now, I need to take care of something else." He shifted his wand towards Alibaba. "Now, it's finally time to kill you!"

The Black Djinn under his feet roared ferociously as a new pair of wings sprouted from its back. "See? My Djinn is really strong!" Familiar spheres of dark energy began to form around it and Sakura barely had time to jump out of the way. She glanced around frantically and sighed in momentary relief when she saw that Morgiana had gotten Alibaba and herself to safety. She leapt to their side. "Morgiana! Alibaba! Are you alright? Are you hurt?" She searched them with their eyes and was glad to find out that they hadn't sustained any injuries.

"Morgiana?" Two pairs of eyes turned to the blonde haired boy. "Do you think that you can throw me up there?" He pointed at the Black Djinn flying above their heads with Judar standing on its shoulder. "I've gathered up all of my remaining power. I'm going to use it to stop them."

Sakura's eyes widened and she her put hand on his shoulder. "No! I won't allow that!"

"We have no other choice."

"What you are thinking of doing is suicide, Alibaba! I won't stand here and let you walk straight to your death!"

"There are more enemies now and the Dark Djinn has been completely healed!" protested Morgiana and Sakura hoped against hope that the blonde boy would see reason and forget about his crazy idea.

"Then I just need to whip up something stronger. If I do as Sinbad said, and use all of the magoi inside of me, I should be able to do just that!"

"But….but….if you do that you might die!" shouted the red-haired girl.

"But at this rate, everything we've fought to protect will be for nothing! I've got to do this! Please Morgiana! You too Sakura!"

Both women stared at the determined expression on the boy's face with wide, scared eyes but one look in the prince's golden orbs told Sakura everything she needed to know. There would be no changing his mind and they could do nothing about it. With a shaky breath to calm her pounding heart, she put her hand on the boy's shoulder, gaining his attention.

"Are you sure this is the path you want to follow?"

"I am."

"You might never return."

"I know."

Sakura's emerald eyes bore into his own golden ones. She saw fear and worry and even a small amount of doubt. But she also saw determination and kindness and _power_. She nodded. "Then give it all you got. At this point, there isn't much I can do for you but I can still offer some help." She put her hand on his forehead and it started to glow softly with green light. Alibaba's eyes widened as he felt a new kind of power surge through him. By the time the pink-haired woman pulled her finger back, she was panting slightly. "It's not much but while healing Aladdin, I discovered that magoi and chakra are compatible, meaning that they can fuse and become one. This is all I can offer you now."

Alibaba stared at her with amazed eyes before smiling at her and throwing his arms around her neck. "Thank you Sakura. For everything…" His sudden gesture took the young woman by surprise but she soon returned the embrace with a soft smile of her own. She pulled him tightly against her body one more time before pulling back and staring deeply in his eyes.

"Please Alibaba…..Come back." she said almost pleadingly and placed her hand on his blond locks. She ruffled his hair fondly when he nodded determinedly. Morgiana stared up at the pink-haired woman, her red eyes almost asking the older woman to confirm that she was about to do the right thing. Sakura nodded at the girl curtly. "Do it, Morgiana. There is no turning back now."

Amon's sword erupted in flames as Alibaba braced himself for what was to come. With impressive strength, the red-haired girl hurled the blond boy upwards, towards Judar and the Black Djinn. For the umpteenth time, the dark-haired male proved his evil power by sending Alibaba crushing to the ground with nothing but a mere shot from his wand. Sakura gasped and it wasn't only from the sight of the boy hitting the ground. The scar under her joint began to throb and burn painfully as massive amounts of dark energy began to gather in the Djinn's hand to form a fear-inducing sword.

"This sword I loaded with magoi from both me and my Djinn. Do you think you'll be able to withstand it?" The Djinn's malevolent blade clashed with Amon's sword.

"Just die already!"

"Amon!"

Dread filled Sakura's heart as she watched the black blade crack and shatter under the pressure of the Djinn's dark sword. Morgiana rushed to the boy's side.

"Morgiana, throw me up again!"

"What are you saying?! Your sword is broken!"

"It's still here. I'm still here! I have to try again. One more time Morgiana!"

"Do it, Morgiana!" shouted Sakura from a few feet away. She tried to keep the pain from showing on her face. She could always severe the nerves around that particular area of her arm but healing severed nerves was difficult and required time and careful handling. And time was something they didn't have. The burning in her arm only grew stronger as the seconds passed and even talking was quickly becoming painful. But she couldn't let them know that. Both teenagers' hopes were hanging by a thread and if they saw her break and surrender, then they were as good as doomed. She kept her head high and her voice strong and determined. "Do it!"

Sakura lost count of how many times Alibaba shot in the air only to come back crushing down. She lost count of how many times she felt her heart almost stop and of how many times she wished she could do something to help. She felt her breathing hitch when she saw the blonde boy tumble to the ground once more. He stood up shakily, leaning on the broken blade of Amon's sword.

Movement high above them caught her eye and she turned in time to see Judar order his Djinn to attack Alibaba with its malevolent sword. Sakura's blood froze and she immediately knew that Alibaba wouldn't be able to get out of the way and she wouldn't be able to reach him in time. She was drained and the pain spreading in her body was making it difficult to move or even breath. She felt tears prickle at the corners of her eyes as she realized that this would probably be the end. For Alibaba, for her, for everyone…

"No! Alibaba!" As those words left her lips, bright light exploded around them, repelling both the Black Djinn and its malicious blade of darkness as it fell from the sky.

Sakura had to shield her eyes from the brightness but even then, through the light, she caught sight of a small body and the flutter of a familiar blue braid…

**TBC**

**Hey there folks! New chapter's here at last! So, Judar's back and healed and Sakura finally got to meet with Ithnan. Also, Sinbad is hurt and Sakura is worried *wink*. Obviously, our heroes are in a bit of a pinch but everything's going to work out in the end! I hope you liked the chapter! Stay tuned for the next one! Until then…..READ AND REVIEW!**

**Lots of love!**


	14. Chapter 14

Sakura's emerald widened. _'Aladdin!'_

"I want to be a source of strength." The boy's words reached her ears. "I'll always reach my hand out to you." He turned slowly with his hand outstretched towards Alibaba. "I always will. Hello, Alibaba."

Sakura shifted her eyes from the shocked expression on the blond boy's face to the smiling Aladdin, who had Light Rukh dancing around him. He pose was confident, with the wind ruffling his blue hair and his staff held in his hand as he looked at each one of their faces with his smile still on his lips.

"Aladdin!"

"There you are, midget." All eyes turned to Judar and Sakura glared at him heatedly. She didn't know exactly why but Aladdin's appearance had woken something inside her; a new kind of drive that gave her strength and hope and determination to keep on fighting despite the odds being against them. Even the pain in her arm was starting to subside.

"I won't lose again." continued the Dark Magi. "Because now I have a Djinn too!" The beast behind his roared. "Call out your Djinn now!" He aimed one of his blades at the blue-haired boy only to have it shattered by Aladdin's force field.

"You mean Ugo-kun?" said the boy with a soft smile but Sakura could see the sadness behind it. Well Ugo-kun is…." He gripped the flute hanging from his neck. "….no longer here." Alibaba and Morgiana gasped.

"Huh? What do you mean?" asked Judar with narrowed eyes. "If you can't bring out a Djinn, then you're nothing but a dump kid who needs to die." The Black Djinn prepared to attack and Sakura was just about to lunge in front of Aladdin with her hand ready to form a series of seals when the blue-haired boy beat her to it.

"But….." Blinding light exploded around Aladdin and the sheer power that it held hit Sakura like a tidal wave.

"What?! The Rukh's protection? Wait, no…."

The light around Aladdin began to take form and Sakura gasped in astonishment when she noticed that it was none other than the familiar shape of Ugo's arms. "But Ugo-kun has left me power!" The crossed arms of Ugo stopped the Djinn's dark sword from reaching Aladdin and as the blue-haired boy raised his staff towards the sky, the whole body of Ugo rose along with it. In all her years as a shinobi, Sakura had never seen anything remotely as magnificent as this.

"It's a white giant!" one of the guards said in amazement as all eyes of those present were glued on the awe-inducing sight.

"That has the shape of a Djinn but it is just regular heat magic." mocked Judar but Sakura found herself shaking her head at him. _'You don't understand…This is not about it whether it is regular magic or not…..'_ Due to her now enhanced ability to sense both chakra and magoi, she knew very well the energy trail each of these elements left behind. And this….This was something else. It was raw, unadulterated power. It didn't matter if it was regular heat magic or something else…Light danced around Aladdin like raging fire in a display that caused her both fear and awe.

Judar chuckled mockingly. "You are so boring! Hurry up and die!"

But his words had no effect on the blue-haired boy, whose serious expression never changed. With his staff held above his head, a sphere of light purple energy started to form with a similar one forming in the hands of the white giant standing behind him. Sakura's eyes widened. _'What magnificent power….'_ She could almost feel Aladdin's energy tickling her skin.

"Harlharl Infigar!" Aladdin let his attack loose and it hit both the Black Djinn and Judar, whose face was set in an expression of surprise and disbelief. As the light died down, Sakura's eyes were met with the little boy's smiling face. He turned to Morgiana.

"Alright Morg, could you take Sinbad-ojisan back to the city? There are some people in here that he needs to see."

"B-But!"

"It'll be okay." Aladdin smiled at her. "Now go!"

Sakura glanced at Sinbad in worry. The ice had melted from the heat caused by Aladdin's powerful attack but she still wasn't sure that it would be wise to move him. He was weakened and she hadn't had the chance to heal his wounds.

"So what? That's all you got?" She tore her gaze from the purple-haired man and aimed a heated glare towards Judar, who was watching them from inside his protection field with a mocking smirk on his face. "You got my hopes up for nothing, you dump kid!" Black Rukh started to gather around him at an alarming rate.

"Hmm…..I guess I lose." said Aladdin out of nowhere, causing several people to gasp. "My magic is still incomplete. There is no way I can go toe to toe with him." He turned to Alibaba. "I need your power. _You_ can defeat him and that Black Djinn."

"But….I don't have a sword and I'm out of magoi. I can't fight anymore!"

"I can't do much about the sword but I sure as hell can do something about your magoi."

Alibaba looked up in surprise when he felt a firm hand on his shoulder and his golden eyes widened when he saw Sakura standing tall beside him with her palm once more alive with bright green light. He felt her energy surge through his veins like fire.

"But Sakura! You have already given me much of your magoi! At this rate, you'll end up collapsing!"

"Don't worry about me and focus on what you have to do. You are our only hope, Alibaba and I have faith in you. You have already saved this country once. You can do it again." she said firmly and her voice left no room for argument. And she meant every damn word. Despite the odds being against them, deep down she knew that he could do it. Because that was who Alibaba was. Because he had chosen to fight for Balbadd when he could have just walked away. Because he had managed to give hope to those who had only known despair.

"Sakura-nee-san is right, Alibaba." said Aladdin as he came to put his hand on the boy's other shoulder. "Look carefully, Alibaba." Bright light engulfed them both and an arch of light rose to the sky. "This country still holds the fire of hope. A righteous fire that will allow the people to get on with their lives and overcome their fates. You are the one who sparked that, aren't you? You're the one who raised their spirits!"

"Everyone….." whispered Alibaba and Sakura could see that whatever Aladdin had shown him had shaken the boy but not in a bad way. Her gaze was drawn to the sky and emerald eyes widened when she saw a bird made of fire rise. _'No…..That's not fire…..' _

"The Rukh are drawn by that desire to live! To forge onward. That's why we can still fight!" The bird dived in from above and engulfed Aladdin in its warm light.

"More heat magic?" wondered Judar but there was a significant lack of his previous arrogance and mocking spirit in his voice. But Sakura paid him no mind. Her eyes were focused on little Aladdin and the Light Rukh swarming in from all directions. She stared transfixed as the swirls of light were concentrated on the blue-haired boy's forehead before starting to expand and spread all around them. Light Rukh tickled her skin and flew around her head before gathering around Aladdin, who had his eyes closed in concentration. Sakura along with Alibaba gasped when the little boy's cerulean eyes shot open and a glowing eight-pointed star appeared on his forehead. A maelstrom of light rose above him and Sakura gasped in surprise when she saw a number of figures outlined in the light before they were absorbed in Aladdin's flute in an impressive display unlike anything else she had ever seen in her life.

"W-What did you just do?"

Aladdin turned to Alibaba with a smile. "I asked everyone to come. So that they can guide you and your friend." His expression became serious and he pointed his staff at the Black Djinn. "He is completely trapped into darkness right now. The only way to free him is to break through that darkness with your sword!"

"But my sword is…."

"Don't worry. Amon's sword can be reforged. So long as we put our power together!" He raised his staff in the air. "Harlharl Infigar!" Light Rukh flocked to him and a huge sphere of pulsating energy formed above their heads.

Judar laughed mockingly. "That again? I told you that doesn't work on me."

However, Aladdin's smile never faltered as he turned to them. "Sakura-nee-san, please stay out of this." He smiled at her brightly when she nodded and he shifted his blue eyes to the blonde prince. "Let's go Alibaba!" One swing of his staff was all it took and the sphere of energy embraced them before engulfing them in flames. Sakura gasped and she instinctively took a sharp step forward but she held back. She had promised Aladdin that she wouldn't interfere and she trusted him. Both of them.

"It is made of flames!"

"The only magic I can use right now is heat magic. Luckily enough, your sword works with fire! It's more than luck or coincidence thought." When the flames died down, Sakura's emerald eyes widened in astonishment as she gazed upon the shinning black metal of a completely reforged Amon's sword.

Alibaba started at it in amazement. "Amon's sword is back!"

"So what?" growled Judar and sent a rain of ice spiraling towards them only to have them repelled by Aladdin's force field. "Now go, Alibaba!" exclaimed the blue-haired boy without taking his eyes off the dark Magi.

"But what about you?" A kunai flew past his cheek with Judar as its target, though it never really reached him. Sakura leapt beside Aladdin with her hands already forming a series of hand seals and her emerald eyes hard with determination.

"Don't worry Alibaba! We'll be fine. No one's going to be hurt while I'm around. You focus on the task at hand. Now go!" A stream of fire flew from her lips, completely destroying Judar's icy daggers, making the crimson-eyed male growl in annoyance. The blonde boy nodded curtly and determinedly before charging at the Dark Djinn. In the corner of his eye he saw streams of fire shattering and melting the ice blades that were aimed at him, clearing their path for him to reach the Djinn. Alibaba jumped with Amon's sword held tightly in his hands. This time, the blade was met with no resistance and the beast roared as Amon's flames rose around it. Suddenly, tendrils of darkness sprouted from the Djinn's body and started pulling the blonde boy in. Sakura gasped in fear for the boy and made to jump to his aid but Aladdin placed a hand in front of her before she could take another step. The pink-haired woman gritted her teeth but stayed back even as she watched Alibaba get swallowed but the black demon.

"What?" said Judar with a mocking smirk. "Did he get swallowed by the Dark Djinn? Guess he was bluffing."

"I have something to tell you too."

His crimson gaze turned to Aladdin. "Huh?"

The eight-pointed star on the blue-haired boy's forehead started glowing brightly and Judar had to cover his eyes with his arm to shield them. "W-what is that?" Suddenly, his eyes widened almost in fear and Sakura watched in fascination as his expression changed from his mocking smile to an almost frightened one. "W-What is happening? Stop! Stop!" he screamed and clutched his head as if he was in pain before collapsing to the ground before Aladdin's feet. If she hadn't seen his dark side, Sakura might have even felt sorry for the trembling dark-haired male. Worried emerald eyes rose to stare at the black demon standing still some distance away from them.

'_Good luck Alibaba…And please….please come back…' _

XxxOxOxOxxX

"Sakura-nee-san! Stay close to me!" shouted Aladdin as another one of Judar's ice blades shattered on his force field.

"Damn it! Y-You brat!" growled the dark Magi as he rose on shaky feet, one hand clutching his head. "What the hell did you do to me?" he screamed and aimed another ice attack at them. The ice shattered on Aladdin's protective field that was shielding them. Judar sent a barrage of ice blades and Sakura worriedly glanced at the blue-haired boy. She didn't know how much longer he could keep it up but she guessed that it wouldn't be long before his force field weakened enough for the dark Magi's ice daggers to reach them. She placed a hand on his back and tried channeling as much chakra as she could into his system. It was the only thing she could do for him at this point. With her chakra reserves running low and the scar under her joint sending waves of pain throughout her body every couple of minutes, trying to go against Judar with her own two hands while he was on a rampage was as good as asking for a quick and probably painful death. She gritted her teeth and pushed harder but she was quickly loosing strength as her chakra slipped away from her.

Aladdin began to back down as Judar pushed harder on his force field with his magic. Sakura fell to her knees. The closer the dark Magi came and the more he pushed them with his dark power, the stronger the pain in her arm became. The scar felt as if it was pulsating and it _burned_; it burned like hot iron. Judar smirked evilly at them and raised his wand with light gathering around its tip.

'_CRACK!' _

"Alibaba!" exclaimed Aladdin and all eyes to the Dark Djinn that had crevices all over its belly with light sipping through them. Judar growled dangerously at the sight. Sakura felt hope grow in her heart and she continued to stare at the still black demon in anticipation and worry. As the seconds passed, more cracks appeared on the monster's body and the light shining through them grew brighter and brighter as the beast roared. The Dark Djinn exploded with light that shot to the sky like a volcano eruption. The cloud of darkness that had gathered above the palace and the whole of Balbadd immediately dissolved and the dark storm clouds parted to reveal the blue sky.

Judar trembled as he fell to his knees. "What's happening…..to my power…."

Sakura rose to her feet beside Aladdin and she narrowed her eyes when she saw an arch of Black Rukh engulf the dark Magi in a sphere of darkness before moving him to where the man with the checked mask was standing. The man's crimson eyes shifted between the blue-haired Magi and the pink-haired woman at his side.

"We'll meet again." he said and disappeared in a cloud of Black Rukh.

'_We sure as hell will…'_ thought Sakura as she glared at the place he had been standing a second ago with blazing emerald eyes. Sobbing reached her ears and she turned to see Alibaba shedding rivers of salty tears over the ashen body of Kassim. Tears started to ran down her own cheeks at the heart-wrenching sight and she approached the boy with slow steps before kneeling down before him. She cupped his cheek with her hand and kissed his forehead. He didn't react and tears continued to run down his cheeks but she smiled a watery smile and let her own tears mingle with his as they hit the body of Kassim.

'_You did something that I never could…..You did it Alibaba…..You saved him…..' _

XxxOxOxOxxX

Sakura stood to the side as she watched Aladdin comfort Alibaba. While she wanted nothing more than to be by his side, there were some things that she still didn't understand and that only the blue-haired boy could tell him.

"You can't keep on crying Alibaba. Or he won't be able to return."

"Return?"

They raised their eyes towards the sky to see an arch of light Rukh flying above their heads and Aladdin smiled. "Those who die don't disappear." he explained to a confused blonde prince. "They return to the great flow of Rukh. Solomon's Wisdom!" The eight-pointed star on his forehead started to glow brightly and Alibaba gasped in surprise and amazement when the figures of two people appeared before them. The young man stared at them in disbelief with a gaping mouth.

"Mom? Da-The late King of Balbadd?"

"They, or more accurately their Rukh, is now a part of a much greater whole, which wraps around and flows through the world." Aladdin turned to the blonde boy with a smile. "That's why, even though it is sad when people die, it's not an eternal goodbye. They are always watching your choices and your journey. They are always watching over you."

Sakura's heart swelled with joy as she watched a smile of happiness form on Alibaba's lips.

"Go on, everyone! Go back to your loved ones!"

Tear prickled at the corners of her eyes as she watched all those who had been lost reunite with their loved ones and as sad as it was to see them go back to the great flow of Rukh, Sakura knew that the light had returned to the hearts of the people of Balbadd.

"Aladdin! Alibaba! Sakura-san!"

Sakura felt arms wrap around her waist and she returned the girl's embrace. She ran her fingers through Morgiana's red hair and smiled at her brightly despite the tears still in her eyes. "Hey there Morg-chan! Today's a beautiful day, don't you agree?" The girl looked up at her with a smile and Sakura patted her head fondly. "Go now! They are waiting for you!" she urged the red-haired young woman and motioned to Aladdin and Alibaba who were smiling and waving at them from a few feet away. The girl nodded at her happily before running off and engulfing the two boys in a bone-crushing hug. Sakura allowed a content smile to grace her lips at the sight and she giggled when the three fell backwards from the force of Morgiana's embrace.

A hand on her shoulder made her turn around and the sight of a limping but very much alive and smiling Sinbad made her own smile widen. Jafar and Masrur were standing on either side of him, supporting his weight. The purple-haired man squeezed her shoulder lightly and his touch sent a jolt down her arm.

"Thank you. For everything…"

Sakura chuckled. "How many times do I have to tell you? You don't thank a medic for healing the injured."

Sinbad laughed a rich laugh and stared deeply into her emerald orbs with scintillating golden eyes. "No you don't. But you do thank a friend for risking her life to save yours."

Sakura stared at him with sparkling eyes and gently touched his fingers on her shoulder with her own. "I guess you do…."

**TBC**

**Yay! Finished with the Balbadd Arc! Coming up next is the one and only Sindria! I hope you liked the chapter. SinbadXSakura moment at the end! From now on, there will be more SinXSaku interaction and things will eventually heat up between them! Yay! But don't worry, she'll have her moments with other characters as well! Anyway, a reviewer mentioned why I keep so close to cannon and it's a good thing they did because it reminded me that I have to explain a couple of things about the story that might help you understand what's going on a bit better. **

**When I started this story, I wanted to write it in a way that would make Sakura seem as if she had always been **_**there**_**. Basically, the story of Magi from her perspective, through her eyes. What I want to show is that her presence in the Magi universe led things to happen the way they did. Things happened the way they did in cannon because **_**Sakura was there **_**(Though, I'm not sure whether I was successful at it or not). What we call cannon happened because she was there. **

**A few examples:**

**We know that in the Balbadd Arc, Alibaba had a change of heart regarding the fate of the city and the monarchy. In the story, we see that **_**Sakura**_** was the one to cause that change of heart. It's because of her that he did what he did.**

**Also, Kougyoku ordered Engi, Entai and Enshin to kill everyone because she thought that they were **_**Sakura's**_** friends. **

_**Sakura**_** was the one to heal Aladdin when he collapsed after giving Ugo-kun too much magoi.**

**The reason why Alibaba managed to reach Ahbmad was because **_**Sakura**_** was there to fight and kill Engi.**

**Moreover, Alibaba was able to defeat the Dark Djinn and ultimately save Kassim and Balbadd, because **_**Sakura**_** and Aladdin were there to give him their chakra/magoi. **

**I hope I explained it well enough and didn't confuse any of you. There will be more examples in future chapters. To tell you truth, what I really want to focus on in this story is mostly Sakura's **_**relationships**_** with the characters of Magi. Anyway, next chapter's coming up soon so stay tuned. Until then….READ AND REVIEW!**

**Lots of love!**


	15. Chapter 15

Sakura smiled at the little boy as the green glow around her hands went out. "There! You won't have to worry about your leg anymore." She ruffled his raven locks and pinched his cheek fondly when he sent her a beaming smile. The boy had been brought to her with a wound on his leg that had festered due to lack of proper medical care. Even the bandages they had wrapped it with were dirty and in no condition to be used on a patient, especially an infected wound. But that didn't matter any longer. She had healed the infection and mended the skin and muscle back together. "Now, off you go Kadir! Why don't you head over to Morg-chan? She's going to find something for you to eat."

"Ok! Thank you nee-chan!" replied a smiling Kadir and waved at her as his mother pulled him towards Morgiana, who was distributing food to the citizens of Balbadd. Sakura turned to the next person in the line of people waiting to receive medical care and smiled at the little girl with the bandaged head. She disappeared inside her makeshift medical tent and reappeared with fresh bandages in her hands. It was a good thing that she had given priority to the children. Adults had a degree of resistance to injuries but kids were in more immediate danger from infections and badly healed wounds.

She gently unwrapped the dirty bandage from around the girl's head and resisted the urge to frown at the infected slash above the girl's eyebrow that was still oozing blood and pus. She shifted her eyes to the little girl staring up at her in worry and smiled sweetly.

"What's your name sweetheart?"

"A-Anisah…."

"That's a very pretty name. Now, this might sting a bit but don't be scared. It'll be over in a minute. Ready?" She waited for the little girl to nod hesitantly before she started working on disinfecting the wound with her chakra. Anisah winced a little but other than that did nothing to hinder the healing process.

"Well done, Anisah. You are a very brave girl." said Sakura softly as she gently wrapped the still tender spot where the wound was in clean bandages to keep it from being exposed to dust and dirt. "Now, go grab something to eat and regain your strength." The pink-haired woman patted Anisah's head as she whispered a weak but heartfelt 'thank you'.

Sakura wiped the sweat from her brow and took a moment to glance around. Everyone was working hard to help Balbadd and its people back on their feet. Guards and citizens alike were working on rebuilding the destroyed homes and repairing the cart roads. Some distance away, Morgiana was responsible for distributing food to the people and Alibaba had immediately requested the outset of a series of meetings that would set the foundations for the organization of the Republic of Balbadd. Sinbad had mountains of papers to sign and Jafar wasn't letting him off the hook even for a minute. Sakura herself had taken upon her shoulders the responsibility of healing those who hadn't had the chance to receive medical attention. It was tedious work for all of them but the results were rewarding and the people worked with newfound vigor to get their lives back in line.

Sakura breathed deeply and turned her attention to her next patient….

XxxOxOxOxxX

Sakura was among the first to see the ships approaching the harbor of Balbadd and from the look of it, these definitely weren't merchant ships. _'It's a war fleet…'_ She immediately ordered a guard to inform Alibaba of this new development and made quick work of leading the people deeper into the city where they would be safer and advised them to stay inside and bar their doors. _'Better safe than sorry…..' _She adjusted her weapons pouch on her waist and headed to the harbor once more. Her eyes focused on the ships approaching fast and her eyes widened when she saw their flag. _'The Kou Empire…..Could it be that the Princess was right? Could it be that the Kou Emperor has really turned to militaristic ways?'_

She was broken out of her thought by the sound of multiple feet coming closer and not a minute later, she was joined by Sinbad, Aladdin, Alibaba and half a dozen palace guards. As usual, Jafar and Masrur were flanking their King's sides.

"Why are they here?" asked Alibaba as he continued to watch the approaching ships with worried eyes.

"They probably dispatched the armada right from the start." replied Sinbad and for all she was worth, Sakura couldn't read his expression. "That way, they would be able to take advantage of the rebellion and take control over Balbadd." Sakura couldn't help but nod in agreement. She had suspected as much. In the weakened state Balbadd was in, it was easy prey for the Kou Empire.

"But the rebellion's stopped!"

"That may be true" spoke Jafar "but the new government is still in development. If they insist that Balbadd is currently in an anarchic state, it will be difficult to refuse them."

"Jafar is right." All eyes turned to Sakura. "Right now, the Republic of Balbadd is still under construction and the transition to a republic has yet to be legally confirmed. The new government is still weak and can be easily overthrown. The Kou Empire will claim that Balbadd is in no state to decide its fate and once they call upon the protection of the citizens of Balbadd, it will be difficult to repel them. A refusal to their requests will be presented to the public as inconsideration towards their rights. Balbadd will fall." Alibaba stared at her in worry and fear as her words began to sink in.

"I'm afraid Sakura's right." replied Sinbad and turned his eyes to stare at the sea. A few seconds later he turned to the blonde prince with serious eyes. "Alibaba. You must leave this country immediately. Kou will, without a doubt, try to gain control of all royalty here in Balbadd. And this time, they will either take all rights from them and set up a puppet government or use them as the symbol of the previous tyrannical reign and execute them to make a point."

Sakura narrowed her eyes. "And Alibaba is going to be the first one on their list." she said through gritted teeth.

"Exactly."

"No way!" exclaimed the blonde boy. "Are you telling me to just run away? And abandon this country?"

Sinbad stared straight into his eyes. "Yes."

"No! I can't do that! I made a promise! I promised Kassim and everyone who died that I'd make this country a better place! I won't run anymore. If it came down to it, I'd rather die fighting!"

He never saw the slap coming. The sound of Sakura's hand connecting with his cheek seemed to echo around them as the others stared at the two in obvious surprise. Sakura balled her fists at her sides and glared at the boy.

"You fool…..You big, reckless fool! Is the prospect of death so appealing to you? Do you really think that this is what Kassim would have wanted? Do you really think that landing yourself in an early grave will fix things? This is the real world, Alibaba! In real life, heroes do not prevail and they only end up walking hand in hand with death. What about the people that risked their lives to stand beside you? What about their sacrifices, their blood, their tears? Do you see those ships?" She pointed at the armada without breaking eye contact with the boy who was watching her with wide golden eyes. "Those ships are coming here to kill you and take control. The moment they remove you from the face of the earth, it is all over for Balbadd. Royalty, common people, slaves…..Right now, your death is the worst betrayal you could ever commit against them. I won't let you march to your demise. I just hope that one day you'll find it in your heart to forgive me."

A startled expression crossed his face. "Forgive you? What f-"

One well-aimed hit at the back of his neck was all it took to plunge the boy into unconsciousness. Sakura caught him in her arms before he hit the ground and stared down at his face with sadness in her eyes. _'I'm sorry Alibaba. But I can't let you die…'_ She shifted her emerald eyes to Sinbad and he nodded at her in understanding.

'_Forgive me….This is for the sake of both you and your country…..'_

XxxOxOxOxxX

Sakura surveyed the harbor with her eyes to make sure that no one was watching them before motioning for the others to follow her to the ship that, as Sinbad had said, would take them to Sindria. She would have felt much more comfortable under the cover of night but they had to help Alibaba escape as soon as possible and they didn't have the time to wait for the sun to set.

The wooden boards creaked under their feet as Jafar boarded the ship followed by Masrur, who was carrying an unconscious Alibaba, with Aladdin and Morgiana close behind him. Sakura watched them as they boarded the ship before turning to Sinbad, who was standing beside her. He turned to her with an easy smile but she could see the worry in his eyes.

"Take care of them while I'm gone, will you?"

Sakura chuckled. "You didn't have to ask. Don't worry Sinbad. Nothing's going to happen to them while I'm around." She smiled up at him and he couldn't help but stare at her sparkling emerald eyes. Beautiful eyes…

"I know." he said with a laugh. "I don't know how he did it, but I'm glad Alibaba found you that night."

Sakura glanced back at the ship where Alibaba was probably resting in one of the cabins. "Let's just say that he reminds me much of someone precious to me back home." She turned back to the purple-haired King with a soft smile. She knew that he probably wanted to ask more about her home and herself but she appreciated the fact that he respected her wish to keep some things to herself for the time being. "I hear that you'll be leaving for the Kou Empire soon."

The man nodded. "That's right. The Emperor and I have a lot to talk about and with the new developments, negotiations are necessary. I don't know how long I'll be gone. Probably a while."

Sakura hummed in response and shifted her eyes to the sea. For some reason, she was starting to feel uncomfortable under his penetrating gaze. His golden eyes…..sent shivers down her spine and she didn't know how to feel about it. "I guess this is goodbye for now."

"I guess it is." he said. "Take care of them and of yourself, Sakura. Next time we see each other, I promise I'll personally take you on a tour around Sindria." His tone was light and laid-back but the fact that he would be leaving for the Kou Empire for Gods-knew-how-long was weighing heavily on both of them. The possibility that he might never come back was one that neither of them wanted to think about but it hung ominously above their heads like a dark storm cloud.

Despite her worry, Sakura couldn't help but laugh lightly. "I'll be waiting for you to come back then."

Sinbad made a show of bowing before her and he winked at her with a lopsided smile playing on his lips. "Until the next time we meet my lady…." He turned his back to her and he had only managed to take a few steps when he felt soft fingers wrap around his wrist.

"Sinbad, wait…."

His golden eyes turned to her in question and Sakura felt her heartbeat increase at the intensity of his gaze. "Be careful….please…."

He stared at her in surprise before his eyes softened and a small smile appeared on his lips. In the blink of an eye, he had her hand gently grasped in his own. He brought it to his lips and placed a soft kiss on her knuckles. "I will….I promise. See you soon, Sakura."

Sakura's hand fell to her side as she silently watched him step back before turning around and disappearing behind some stone buildings. She continued to stare at the spot he had been standing just a minute ago before finally snapping out of it and leaping on the ship. Their vessel rocked on the waves and she stared at the city of Balbadd growing further and further away as the winds filled their sails.

"See you soon Sinbad…."

XxxOxOxOxxX

Sakura was leaning on the wooden railing of the ship with her gaze focused on the waves when Alibaba appeared on deck. The boy glanced around in confusion before his eyes rested on the familiar figure of the pink-haired woman.

"Sakura? What's going on? Where are we?"

Sakura turned around to face him knowing that she would have to explain. "We are on a ship heading to Sindria."

"But I don't remember boarding the ship. How did I get here? I remember watching the Kou Empire's ships approaching and then you slapping me and then…" His eyes widened as realization hit him. "You knocked me out!" he exclaimed and pointed a finger at her almost accusingly.

Sakura sighed. "I had to Alibaba. You refused to listen to logic and I couldn't just stand by and watch while you signed your death warrant."

"She's right Alibaba." Two pairs of eyes shifted at the sound of Jafar's voice and they both turned to see the white-haired man along with Masrur, Aladdin and Morgiana standing a few feet away from them. "We had to give you medicine to keep you asleep for the duration of the voyage. As per Sin's instructions, of course. King Sinbad is currently headed to the Kou Empire. He said he would use his position as the head of the Seven Seas Alliance and take responsibility for the negotiations."

Alibaba growled in anger. "What right does he have to do that?"

"Alibaba" Sakura reprimanded him sternly. "Do not be ungrateful. Sinbad is risking his head as we speak in order to give both you and Balbadd a chance."

"He had no business meddling in affairs that weren't his."

"It is true that he had no right whatsoever." injected Jafar before the pink-haired woman could respond. "But that doesn't mean that he doesn't have a duty to save both you and Balbadd."

Alibaba stared at him before gritting his teeth. He fell to his knees and clenched his fists. "Damn it! Damn it!" A hand on his shoulder made him look and his golden eyes gazed upon Sakura's softened features.

"Life, Alibaba, is hard and unforgiving. Sometimes we have to make difficult decisions. Decisions that we do not like or decisions that will take us away from those precious to us. But that doesn't make our love for them fade. Sometimes, it makes it stronger. You are not abandoning Balbadd, you are not running away. You are giving them hope; because they know that somewhere out there, their prince that fought so hard to protect them, lives on and continues to fight." She extended her hand to him. The blonde boy looked up at her in something akin to astonishment before accepting her hand and allowing her to pull him up. Sakura turned her eyes to the island growing nearer and nearer as the winds blew in their sails and played with her hair. Jafar walked up to her and came to stand on her right.

"We'll have to wait for King Sinbad to return before we can plan our next move." he said. "But for now…..Welcome to Sindria…."

**TBC**

**Yay! Sindria in sight! So, Sakura and Alibaba had a fight (more like, Sakura yelling at him and Alibaba standing there with wide eyes) but it was purely out of her fear for his safety. AND we even had another SinbadXSakura moment. He kissed her hand, people! I was squealing with delight while I was writing that scene. And it is just a taste of what is to come. Sakura can definitely speak maturely and I really like writing her in her 'motherly-grown-up' mode. I figured that years of fighting and facing death, would have hardened her and offered her experience and wisdom. I hope you liked it! However, I am in a bit of a dilemma. I've been thinking about what I am going to be writing in future chapters and I really can't decide whether I should send Sakura along with Alibaba, Morgiana, Aladdin and Hakuryuu when the go to conquer Zagan's Dungeon or have her stay with Sinbad. I know it's a bit early to be thinking about that but I can't get it out of my head. Any advice you might have to offer would be most welcome! Anyway, thank you for reading and for all the wonderful reviews! Until next time…READ AND REVIEW!**

**Lots of love!**


	16. Chapter 16

_Six months later….._

"That's it! Well done, Morgiana!" said Sakura in praise as she used her forearm to block another one of the girl's powerful kicks. It was a good thing that she had a layer of chakra protecting her bones. "Your speed has increased greatly since we started your training."

The red-haired girl smiled at the pink-haired woman and bowed in respect. "Thank you, Sakura-san."

"Now, the next step is improving your strength."

"My…strength?" Morgiana looked up at her in obvious surprise and even Masrur, who was watching them from under a tree with his hawk-like eyes, sat up to listen to what the green-eyed female had to say.

Sakura almost laughed at the expression on the younger girl's face. "Don't look so horrified, Morg-chan. The raw power behind your fists is undeniable. But that alone is not enough. While your bloodline has given you an impressive advantage, it can easily become your downfall if you don't know how to use it." She moved closer to the girl and grasped her elbows before starting to go through different fighting moves that would fit the girl's fighting style. "In order to maximize the results of your attacks, you need to know how to channel your strength into the different parts of your body."

"I understand." replied the girl and continued to listen attentively to the older woman.

"Good. You are very sure-footed and your kicks are very powerful but we'll need to work on your technique. From now on, we'll focus on teaching you how to deliver more precise blows and which parts of the body you should aim at while fighting in order to defeat your opponents faster and more efficiently." While she couldn't teach the girl how to use medical ninjutsu, she could still teach her how to recognize weaknesses and the nerves in the body that could bring an opponent to their knees. Sometimes, all you need is one well-aimed blow.

Sakura smiled at the girl and patted her head in praise. "You are doing great Morg-chan. Very soon, no one will be able to stand in your way." The girl beamed at her and Sakura found her own smile widening at the girl's expression. From what she had heard, Morgiana hadn't had it easy in her life and the pink-haired woman felt happy knowing that she was the reason behind some of the girl's smiles. "Now, why don't we take-"

The sound of cannon bolts in the distance interrupted her sentence and her head snapped to the direction of Sindria's harbor, emerald eyes shining with new light.

'_He's back!'_

XxxOxOxOxxX

Sakura had her eyes closed as she stood beside Jafar, patiently anticipating the arrival of the King. Two long lines of guards were standing opposite from each other with their spears grasped tightly in their hands as they too waited for their King to arrive after six long months of being absent. It would be a lie to say that they hadn't been uneasy while he was away. Half a year was a long time and with the Kou Empire revealing their ambitions more and more as the months passed, even Jafar had been worried that something bad might have befallen Sinbad and he hadn't been the only one.

Sakura heard his confident stride long before she raised her eyes to see the familiar purple hair, the golden eyes and the easy smile. The relief that flooded her the moment her eyes fell on his tall frame, broad shoulders and handsome face was one that she wouldn't be forgetting any time soon. Both she and Jafar bowed in respect as he approached along with two other men.

"Nothing brings me more joy than your safe return." said the white-haired man with his relief obvious in his dark eyes.

"Thank you for watching over things here in my absence." Sinbad smiled at his right-hand man before turning his eyes to the pink-haired woman, who was standing beside the white-haired man silently.

"Welcome back, my King." Sakura said politely in greeting. For a moment, and in a bit of paranoia, she passed her eyes over his form to make sure that he had no injuries or any other kind of physical damage that required her attention. When she was sure that he was perfectly healthy, she took a moment to observe him. With his floor-length purple and white robes, the colorfully feathered turban and the impressive pieces of jewelry hanging from his neck and decorating his wrists, he looked every bit the King he was.

"My lady." Sinbad's smooth voice broke her out of her thoughts and he inclined his head at her with an easy smile.

"Lady hardly seems like the appropriate word to describe me, my Lord." she answered back with a raised eyebrow and a conspiring smile. "Oh, and you still owe me that tour."

Sinbad laughed. "It's good to see you again Sakura."

"It's good to see you too, Sinbad."

He had missed his name rolling off her tongue like that…The purple-haired man turned to Jafar once more. "How are Alibaba and the others doing?"

"They were in foul moods for the entire first month after arriving but they have long since settled down."

"Round them up for me. I'll report what came of my talks with Kou."

XxxOxOxOxxX

Sinbad stared at the two boys standing before him with his fingers laced together on his desk. Jafar stood beside on his right with Sakura watching them from her place near the blonde prince. "I'll start with the conclusion. The Kou Empire will place Balbadd under its rule, but they will recognize Balbadd's rights as a republic."

Alibaba smiled at the news. "Then…"

"Yes. The rights of the people of Balbadd are guaranteed. They will not be forced into slavery." But even as he said that, Sinbad's expression was solemn. "However, Balbadd's extraterritorial rights, right to the set tariffs, et cetera, will not be dealt with so leniently." He sighed deeply. "I did all I could as the King of the Seven Seas. That I promise you."

Alibaba's face turned serious and somber. "Thank you very much."

"Oh? I get to hear a thank you?"

"I gave the matter a lot of thought while you were gone. But I could never come up with a plan better than what you did. Therefore I thank you." said the blonde boy and bowed in thanks and respect. "I also had some…..help on the matter." he added and sent a glance at Sakura, who smiled sheepishly at him. Sinbad raised an eyebrow at her.

"I take that you had something to do with this…..help?"

Sakura crossed her arms across her chest. "Let's just say that I knocked some sense into him." She smirked at the young prince, ignoring his mumble of 'literally' and Aladdin's muffled giggles.

Sinbad chuckled. "Why am I not surprised? What do you plan to do now, Alibaba?"

The blonde smiled at the older man. "I think it would be great if I could quietly support Balbadd from the outside."

"Quietly, huh…..Unfortunately, that might prove rather difficult. The Organization has their eyes on you. " Sakura's ears perked up at that. For some reason, she didn't like the sound of it…at all.

"The Organization?"

"Yeah. I believe I told you about the abnormalities of the world once before. Wars occur more frequently, and poverty and discrimination are getting worse. Those things are not all happening purely by coincidence. They've been contrived to happen by a certain organization. We call them Al-Thamen."

Sakura couldn't contain the gasp that left her lips at the sound of that particular name. _'Al-Thamen…It's them…' _Suddenly, she had four pairs of eyes staring at her intently.

"Sakura? Is something the matter? Are you familiar with that name?" asked Alibaba and stared at her with curious eyes.

"I've heard it before….During our fight with Judar and the man with the mask…" she lied and she found herself almost feeling hurt at the way Sinbad frowned in suspicion. In the corner of her eye, she noticed Aladdin watching her strangely but she kept her face impassive. She just hoped that the blue-haired boy wouldn't remember that neither Judar nor the man with the mask had even once mentioned the name Al-Thamen during their confrontation…

Sinbad continued to watch her carefully for another minute before turning to Alibaba once more. "Al-Thamen, the Organization…They do not take on a single name for themselves."

"Al-Thamen….." whispered Aladdin.

"Then what happened in Balbadd…"

The King nodded solemnly. "Yes. The man who threw Balbadd's economics into chaos, the man who controlled the Black Djinn, and the ones who pull Judar's strings are all part of Al-Thamen."

Alibaba growled in anger and Sakura cast a worried glance in his direction. If what Sinbad was saying was indeed true, then the threat was much bigger than she had anticipated. If Al-Thamen had the power to turn a whole country upside down and control something as frightening as the black demon and that powerful Magi then… _'How am I supposed to fight against something like that? More importantly…..How am I supposed to fight and win?' _Sinbad's voice broke her out of her thoughts.

"They have members all around the world doing the same things as we speak. We have been fighting Al-Thamen since before I established Sindria. Alibaba, if there is anger within you, please lend it to us. We could use your power in the fight against Al-Thamen."

Alibaba's eyes widened at his words and Sakura's head snapped up in barely concealed surprise. Disappointment and a feeling of betrayal started to creep into her heart as a series of thoughts entered her mind_. 'Is that it? Is that why he helped Alibaba? Because he wanted to use him in his war against Al-Thamen?'_ She stared at Sinbad almost in sadness. _'Could it be…Could it be that I was wrong about him?'_

"If you agree, we'll help you attain the power you need to fight."

"What do you mean?"

"I think that you are aware, that both your Djinn Equip and Aladdin's magic are still incomplete." The two boys nodded. "There's a powerful magician and a skilled swordsman here in the palace. I was thinking of asking them to be your teachers."

"There is a magician here?" exclaimed Aladdin in surprise and barely concealed excitement.

"Yes. An excellent water mage. It's a bit strange to have a mage teach a Magi, as the Magi stand at the apex of all magic users, but I think she will be able to teach you what you wish to learn."

"My King!" The sudden arrival of a panting palace guard interrupted their meeting as he burst through the heavy double-doors. He kneeled down before Sinbad. "My King, a southern creature has been sighted off the eastern shore."

"Perfect." replied the purple-haired king earning surprised looks from the two boys. "I will show you the power of those I would have you call teacher. Then it's up to you guys. Think hard and make your own choices." He rose from his chair. "Eight Generals, assemble!"

Without a word and as silent as a shadow, Sakura left the room. Unknowingly to her, a pair of dark eyes followed her form as she disappeared behind the heavy doors…..

XxxOxOxOxxX

Sakura stared at the vast sea from her place on the cliff overlooking a small, secluded beach. The smell of salt reached her nostrils as the sea breeze played with her hair. She had found this place while searching the island for a field that they could use for Morgiana's training and in all the times she had come here, she had never once seen another soul. The cliff surrounding the beach was steep and rocky and the many rocks poking from the sea made this spot bad for fishing or for tying boats. It wasn't that far from the city but it was still quite enough if one wanted to have some time for themselves. The waves crushed on the sand creating a harmonious melody but despite the serenity of her surroundings, Sakura's mind was reeling.

'_Disappointment…Another one in a line of many…' _

She let her eyes focus on the horizon and allowed her mind to wander. _'The Gods must really like toying with me….'_ As a shinobi, she couldn't really blame Sinbad for acting the way he did. He was a King and he only wanted what was best for his people. He would be a fool to pass up an opportunity to recruit a Dungeon Capturer like Alibaba in their ranks against Al-Thamen. Tsunade-sama would have probably done the same in a similar situation. But as a woman…She couldn't help but feel betrayed. _'Maybe I was wrong…Maybe I placed too much trust in him too quickly…..' _That certain spark in his eyes had made her think that he was…different? No, it wasn't the right word. Unique? Yes, one of a kind. Challenging? He certainly was. And he….he made her heart flutter. And it scared her. It scared her so much… _'Why? Why does it always have to be me?' _She was broken out of her trance by the sound of approaching footsteps. She glanced up to see Jafar coming up to her and she couldn't express her gratitude for the distraction. Her thoughts were beginning to wander down a dangerous path…..He came to stand on her right and for a few minutes neither of them spoke.

"Why Jafar? Why did he do it? Did he help Alibaba just because he wanted to recruit him?"

"Yes and no."

Sakura looked up at him in surprise. "What do you mean?"

Jafar sighed. "I met Sin many years ago and we've been through a lot since then. Sinbad is a remarkable man, Sakura, so please do not condemn him. He has his reasons for what he's doing."

"Those reasons are what I'm trying to find out. I won't hide behind words, Jafar. I made a vow to protect Alibaba. And I intend to do just that. Even if it means protecting him from Sinbad. " It hurt her to say that but she would honor her promise to the blonde prince she had grown to care so much for. Morgiana and little Aladdin as well.

Jafar stared at her with unreadable eyes. "The battle against Al-Thamen has been going on for a while now. The hurt they have caused and the evil they wield…I wish it upon no one. Sinbad is perfectly aware of that and he's been fighting with everything he's got to stop them. It is true that he sees a very strong ally in Alibaba that will prove valuable in the fight against Al-Thamen. But that doesn't mean that he doesn't care about the boy…..or you."

Startled emerald eyes clashed with knowing black before turning to the sea once more. _'He...cares…about me?'_ Silence fell around them with only the sound of the waves to break it. In the corner of her eye, Sakura observed the white-haired man beside her. During these past six months, she and Jafar had gotten closer to the point that a strange kind of friendship had developed between them. There was mutual respect between them and he appreciated her advice on some matters. He certainly wasn't as hard to talk to as Masrur and they had more in common than she had expected.

"How long have you known?" His voice broke her out of her thoughts once more.

"That you used to be an assassin? I've known for a while…" She smiled at him.

"How could you tell?"

"It is not that hard if you know where to look." she said and shrugged. She wasn't much different than he was, after all. She could detect certain behaviors and ways of moving and thinking that were common among shinobi. And since shinobi were unheard of in this world, she had deduced that at some point in his life he had been an assassin or at least had received some kind of training.

"You don't seem so fazed by it."

"Why would I be? You'll be surprised to find that you and I have more in common than you think."

"It appears so." The white-haired man offered her a small smile and turned to leave. "Come on now or else you'll miss the show."

Sakura raised an eyebrow at him in question. "The show?"

Jafar merely smirked.

**TBC**

**Yay! Sinbad's back! Sakura has officially become Morgiana's teacher and I have to admit that I really like writing about these two. She has taken the young Fanalis under her wing along with Alibaba and Aladdin and I think that is exactly what Morgiana needed; a female role-model and an older-sister figure to look up to. Also, Sakura had a moment of doubt concerning Sinbad and his hidden agenda and despite her conversation with Jafar, she still isn't convinced. On that part, I enjoyed writing that scene with Sakura and Jafar. Shinobi and assassin aren't that far apart and I figured that there would be a mutual understanding between these two. That's why Sakura was able to figure out that Jafar was an assassin in the past. Anyway, I hope you liked it! Next chapter's coming up soon so stay tuned! **

**Also, I'm making plans for "Sindrian Waves II"! Yay!So, stay tuned for that as well! Until next time…..READ AND REVIEW! **

**Lots of love!**


	17. Chapter 17

Sakura gasped when she saw the giant sea serpent rise from the waves and she broke out in a run to reach Alibaba, Aladdin and Morgiana, who were staring at the creature with wide eyes.

"What is that thing?" asked Alibaba and Sakura had to admit that she was just as curious. Jafar had left her a while ago telling her that he had somewhere to be and had told her to head here but she certainly wasn't expecting to be met with _this_. She was just about ready to take out a kunai and go after the attacking creature when the excited yelling from the people gathered around stopped her. _'Wait…Excited?' _

"Yeah!"

"It's been a while!"

"I hope they'll start soon!"

"The hunt's about to start!"

"Hunt?" inquired Alibaba curiously before more excited yelling and the sound of multiple gongs drew their eyes to the top of a cliff. Sakura's eyes widened at the sight of Sinbad surrounded by eight other people, each one more peculiar than the next. Among them were Jafar and Masrur along with the two other men that had accompanied Sinbad earlier that day.

"They're here!" The crowd erupted in cheers as more people gathered around the area.

"Yamraiha, Sharrkan! I leave today's prey to you!" Sinbad's voice reached her ears and she watched as a blue-haired woman floating on a long staff and a white-haired man with a sword stepped forward. The woman flew forward as the creature attacked her with a blast of water. She made no move to dodge but the water never reached her as it was easily repelled by the woman's force field. With a flick of her finger, a rope made of water coiled around the huge serpent that fell to the ground trashing around wildly in an attempt to free itself.

'_This must be the water mage Sinbad was talking about…' _

Her eyes were drawn to the white-haired man who used the woman's staff to jump in the air with his sword poised to strike.

"Household Vessel: Foraz Saiqa!" The sword in his hand started to glow brightly and one swing was all it took to severe the creature's head. Sakura watched in wonder as the man expertly cut through the serpent's stomach before deboning it and cutting it into slices. And all that while he was _in midair_! _'Amazing…..' _Big pieces of white sail cloth were laid out by the people and the sliced beast fell on them.Alibaba was a bit more…..expressive with his surprise.

"H-He plated it?!" he exclaimed in astonishment and obvious disbelief with wide eyes.

The man sheathed his sword and smirked. "Share it nicely, now!"

The crowd erupted in cheers as the pink-haired kunoichi continued to stare at the tan-skinned male with emerald eyes widened in awe. The man must have sensed her stare because he shifted his forest-green eyes to her and winked at her with a wide smirk playing on his lips. Sakura quickly looked away, blushing in embarrassment at being caught staring and focused her attention on Sinbad and the water mage that were walking towards them.

"And there you have it. She'll be your magic instructor." The purple-haired man smiled at Aladdin and motioned to the young woman standing beside him.

The beautiful young woman smiled at the blue-haired Magi. "My name is Yamraiha. I'm not sure if someone like me will be able to assist you, but feel free to ask me anything!"

Sakura raised an eyebrow in surprise when little Aladdin almost pounced on the water mage but her expression immediately turned to one of agitation and her eye began to twitch.

"Kya!" exclaimed Yamraiha at the sudden intrusion of her…ahem…personal space.

With her fists balled at her sides, Sakura marched over to the two and pulled Aladdin from the young woman's chest by his ear before dragging him all the way to Alibaba and dropping him at the blonde boy's feet.

"Sakura-nee-san!" the little boy whined. "That hurt!"

"I can hurt you much more you little pervert!" the pink-haired woman said through gritted teeth and huffed before crossing her arms across her chest. She turned to Yamraiha with an apologetic smile. "Please forgive his brash manners."

Yamraiha glared at Aladdin. "And here I was nervous about meeting a Magi but look at you, you are just a perverted kid! If you do that ever again, I'll make the liquids in your body turn to steam." She turned to the pink-haired woman with a smile. "Thank you for your help. But I do not believe we have met before. What's your name?"

"My name's Sakura. Nice to meet you, Yamraiha." The kunoichi's lips turned upwards as she looked at the other female.

"Ne miss, you are not as nice as you look, are you?" Sakura quickly covered Aladdin's mouth with her hand to keep him from saying something else that might actually make the water mage see her threat through.

"Give it up, give it up!" All eyes turned to the white-haired swordsman who was walking towards them. "That woman's a weakling but she likes to act tough. Even among magicians, she is one of the trickiest!"

"What did you say?" growled said female and Sakura was thankful that Sinbad interrupted them before things heated up.

"This is Sharrkan. He'll teach you the art of the sword, Alibaba."

Sharrkan turned to the blonde prince. "So, you want to learn how to wield a blade?"

"Yes!"

"Since you know how great the sword is, I can tell you have a great future ahead of you! Uh, Watchamababa?" the man said with a wide smile on his lips. The boy sweat-dropped.

"It's Alibaba."

"Right, Alibaba." His forest-green eyes looked up and focused on the pink-haired woman watching them from a few feet away. "Oh, it's you."

"Huh?" the kunoichi said as she watched the man walk up to her before swinging his arm over her shoulders.

"No need to be shy! I saw you staring at me, it's nothing new." He smirked at her widely and tightened his hold on her.

Sakura raised a challenging eyebrow before huffing and turning her head away from him. "Don't flatter yourself. I was looking at your sword."

"I suggest you don't touch him Sakura." said Yamraiha. "You might catch his swordsman's stupidity."

"What did you say?!"

"Wanna fight?!"

Sakura merely shook her head. _'Naruto-Sasuke Syndrome much?'_

"Please save your competition for another time, both of you." interrupted Sinbad. "Tonight's a Maharagan!" he announced with a smile.

Soon enough, the crowd started to dissolve and head back to the city. Sinbad along with his Generals, Alibaba and Aladdin began to follow the road that lead to the palace, all the while laughing and anticipating the upcoming celebration. Sakura made to follow them when something red in the corner of her eye caught her attention making her stop. Realizing it was Morgiana, she turned to face the girl and saw her standing at the edge of the beach, staring at the vast sea.

"Sakura-nee-san? Are you coming?"

The woman smiled at the Magi. "You go on ahead, Aladdin. I'll join you a bit later." The boy stared at her for a few seconds before nodding and regaining his place on Alibaba's right.

Sakura turned back to the red-haired girl and walked up to her. "Morg-chan? Is something the matter?" The girl looked up at her in surprise.

"Sakura-san! What are you doing here? Why aren't you with the others?"

"I saw you standing here and I thought I'd come see how you're doing. Is something wrong? You seem troubled….."

The redhead turned her eyes away from the older woman and focused them on the horizon. Sakura frowned. What could have possibly upset the young Fanalis? Now, this just wouldn't do. With her past, Morgiana deserved to live the rest of her life with a smile on her face. She placed a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder, gaining her attention once more. "Hey…You know you can talk to me, right?"

It took a while for the girl to answer. "Sakura-san? Can I ask you something?"

"Of course. Whatever you want."

Morgiana took a deep breath. "Have you….Have you ever been in love?"

To say that Sakura was taken aback by that question would be a huge understatement. She stared at the girl for a few seconds before her gaze softened and a gentle smile touched her lips as her eyes shone knowingly. _'Alibaba is one lucky man…'_ "Aye, I've been."

Morgiana looked up at her in surprise. "Really? Who was he?" she asked and despite trying, she couldn't keep her curiosity from showing on her face.

Sakura turned her eyes to the horizon as memories washed over her like a tidal wave. _'Who was he really?'_ "He was one of my teammates. Pale skin, raven hair, dark eyes, mysterious aura. The boy that no girl could resist. I was no exception. Imagine how happy I was when we were placed on the same team." She smiled at the girl but there was no cheer behind that smile. "I was young then and naïve and I thought that life was one great fairytale. I used to think that I would eventually get my happy ending….."

"Did he…." Morgiana started but hesitated, though Sakura could guess what she wanted to ask. "Did he….."

"Love me back? No. He…He had his own demons to fight. And he wasn't strong enough to defeat them. In the end, the path he chose to follow was different from mine. I was in love with a boy I thought would be my future. Eventually, I realized he was never even meant to be my present." Silence fell between them as they stared at the setting sun, disturbed only by the sound of the crushing waves.

"Sakura-san?" Morgiana inquired when she saw that the pink-haired woman had no intention of speaking.

The kunoichi remained silent for a little while longer, lost in thoughts and memories that she had buried deep inside her long ago, before turning to the girl with a genuine smile. "You know, Morg-chan, love works in peculiar ways. It can give you wings and cut them off just as easily. But life has taught me that it is something that you should hold onto for as long as you can, whether it is requited or not. Because knowing love is like seeing the sun for the first time after a life of blindness." She smiled at the young girl who was staring at with something akin to amazement in her sparkling red eyes and grabbed her wrist. "Now, let's go." she said as she started to pull the girl by her hand.

"Where we going Sakura-san?" asked Morgiana curiously as she continued to allow herself to be dragged by the older woman.

The pink-haired kunoichi sent her a cheerful smile, her previous bitterness forgotten as a mischievous smirk appeared on her face. "To get ready for the feast, of course! Come on Morg-chan! It's time to make some jaws drop!"

XxxOxOxOxxX

Sakura stepped back to admire her work and smiled at the sight of the young red-haired girl. In the exotic outfit of Sindrian women, with flowers tucked in her hair and her sparkling red eyes rimmed in charcoal, Morgiana looked beautiful. Sakura had even put a bit of a blush on the girl's pale cheeks using some kind of powder made from a red flower that was used by women in Sindria.

"You look gorgeous, Morg-chan!" compliment Sakura and Morgiana blushed.

"Thank you, Sakura-san." The girl had been uncomfortable at first. After all, she had never before dressed like this and it had taken quite a bit of effort on Sakura's part to convince her. Fortunately, persuasion was something Sakura was good at when she put her mind to it and she was determined to show Morgiana what it meant to have fun and be a girl like any other for once.

"Now, let's get going!" said the pink-haired woman mirthfully and grabbed the red-haired girl's hand. "The party has already started!"

XxxOxOxOxxX

They made it just in time to hear the toasts and the people cheering for their King.

"Thanks be to King Sinbad and the blessings of the Southern Seas!"

"Cheers!"

Sindria was beautiful, Sakura noted for the umpteenth time since her arrival as the two females made their way around numerous food counters, jewelry sellers, florists and all kinds of merchants. While Konoha would always come first in her heart, she could not deny the natural beauty of the island or the kindness of its inhabitants. The people were dressed in light clothes with flowers on their heads and hanging from their necks, many of them holding cups of wine, sharing food, drink and laughing to their hearts' content. Torches and fires were burning all over the place, offering warmth and light as exotically dressed women made their way through the crowd, bearing trays full of cups of wine. Mirthful laughter, music and song reached her ears and for the first time in a really long time, Sakura felt herself relax and she began to truly enjoy the festive atmosphere. With the lives the lead, shinobi rarely ever had the chance to unwind and have fun and she wasn't willing to let this chance go to waste. Unique smells filled her nostrils and her vision was filled with colorful flowers, food and beautifully crafted jewelry. She laughed mirthfully when a little girl walked up to her and smiled a toothy smile up at her. Sakura leaned down and allowed the girl to place a wreath of woven flowers on her hair before giving her a kiss on the cheek and waving after her as the girl ran off with a bunch of other kids.

"Sakura-san, look! It's Alibaba and Aladdin!" She was broken out of her thoughts by Morgiana's voice and she looked up to see the two boys conversing with a couple of merchants.

"What are you waiting for then, Morg-chan? Go to them!" she urged the girl and nudged her in the direction of the two. The girl was a bit hesitant at first but she started walking towards the Magi and his King Candidate nonetheless. "Go get him!" yelled Sakura after her with a wide smile playing on her lips as she waved at the girl, making the red-haired Fanalis blush. The pink-haired kunoichi chuckled to herself as she watched the girl approach the two boys almost carefully before turning around and continuing to make her way through the crowd. She began to ascend a flight of stairs that would lead her to where Sinbad was. She still felt as if she had to set some things straight with him before things became any more complicated. His desire to recruit Alibaba in the fight against Al-Thamen-though the impartial part of her mind told her that she couldn't really blame him for wanting to eliminate all those threatening the safety of his people-had shaken her trust in him, no matter how pure his intentions were. _'Why was I even surprised that he has his own hidden agenda to begin with? You are a big girl now Sakura, but you'll never learn….'_

Pushing those thoughts aside, she took a deep breath. "Sinb-" she began to say as she walked over the last step only to stop dead in her tracks. Her eyes widened at the sight of the purple-haired King surrounded by a number of beautiful, curvy women, a couple of which were sitting on his lap. Sakura fought down the sudden urge to scowl and crossed her arms across her chest before rolling her eyes. _'What did I expect? Males…' _Finally noticing her standing a few feet away, Sinbad's golden eyes widened and he shot up from his sitting position, making the girls surrounding him jump back.

"Sakura! I didn't see you there."

'_I wonder why….'_ she thought but met his stare. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt." she continued politely, even a bit coldly, and made to leave. "I can come back lat-"

"Please stay." he interrupted her sentence and grabbed her wrist to keep her from descending the stairs. She turned to look at him in surprise and emerald-green clashed with smoldering golden. She didn't how long they stood there just staring at each other and Sakura found herself getting lost in those pools of warm gold that were his eyes. He didn't release his grip on her wrist and she felt her body relax under his touch. Words were failing her and her throat was dry but she just couldn't look away. She was broken out of her reverie by the sound of footsteps and Alibaba's voice.

"King Sinbad? Sakura?"

The purple-haired King dropped her hand and it would be a lie to say that she didn't feel the lack of his warm hand on her skin. He turned to the newcomers with a smile as Alibaba, Aladdin and Morgiana approached them. "There you are Alibaba! I've been waiting for you guys. Follow me. It's about time you met the Eight Generals."

**TBC**

**Chapter's here! I know, this one came up a bit later than usual but a couple of days ago was my mother's birthday and we had a lot of things to do! Also, I wrote and uploaded "Sindrian Waves II" so go check it out and leave a review if you want! Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter. Sakura and Morgina had a little heart to heart. I really like writing about these two having these moments, especially these more in-depth parts of their relationship. I think that if Morgiana had an older-sister figure or at least a female role model in her life she would have dealt much better with her crush on Alibaba. Sakura got just a **_**tiny bit**_** pissed at Sinbad for hiding things concerning Alibaba from her and just a tad jealous when she saw him with all those women. As far as the romance is concerned, I hope I'm not moving too fast. I'm really trying to balance the time periods between realizing the feelings and admitting them. I mean, falling in love with someone takes time but the same goes for admitting it to them as well. I'm planning a big SinXSaku scene for the next chapter so stay tuned! Until then….READ AND REVIEW!**

**Lots of love!**


	18. Chapter 18

The balcony they were gathered on was wide and illuminated by a row of torches, overlooking the city of Sindria. The music and song from the festivities reached her ears as a light breeze played with her pink locks. She turned her eyes to Sinbad, who was sitting in a chair with a bunch of both familiar and unfamiliar faces gathered around him.

"You already know Jafar." he started. "He usually attends to matters of state, but he's also a master of a special type of assassination, and could be a practice partner for you in your training."

"If you wish." spoke the white-haired man before offering Sakura a small smirk, who was giving him a pointed look from her place beside Alibaba.

"Masrur wields a large sword, but he's not the best at teaching swordsmanship." continued Sinbad. "He's been a swordsman since a young age but he's sort of abandoned that now so his skills are a bit rusty."

"I apologize." simply stated the red-haired Fanalis warrior with a bow of his head. Sakura and Masrur had grown…closer since their arrival in Sindria. They weren't exactly what one would call friends but there was mutual respect between them and they had more than once spent hours sparring deep in the Sindrian forest that Masrur was so familiar with. Between their spars and Morgiana's training, a unique bond of camaraderie had developed between them. After all, Sakura was the only one other than Morgiana that could keep up with Masrur in hand-to-hand combat. She gasped lightly when something collided with her back making her stumble a bit. She turned over her shoulder and noticed a young blue-haired boy jumping up and down in excitement.

"Dad, can I drink alcohol?"

"No. Did you drink boy?" A shadow fell over them and all four of them looked up in surprise. The male leaning over them was probably the hugest man she had ever seen in her life. His towering height put Killer Bee to shame and he was broad of shoulder and chest. There was a strange kind of weapon the color of coral held in his thick arms and the tip of his long, blue ponytail tickled Sakura's nose.

"That's Hinahoho, one of the Imchak warriors of the unexplored lands by the North Pole. His body might seem abnormally large, but all of his people actually look like that. Don't worry."

"Nice to meet you." he said in his deep voice as his large hand ruffled Alibaba's blonde hair before giving Sakura a friendly clap on her back. She actually had to use chakra in order not to tumble forward. "Forgive my son, lass! He gets a bit overly excited sometimes." The pink-haired woman merely nodded at him with a small smile, fighting down the urge to rub the spot on her back. The arrival of another figure drew their eyes away from the huge man and Sakura had to keep another gasp from escaping her lips. The man's dragonic features were almost scary as he watched them through scrutinizing yellow eyes.

"That is Drakon. He was once a soldier in Partevia's army. He looks like a dragon now, but he was once an ordinary human." Sinbad motioned to the blue-haired water mage and the white-haired swordsman. "The woman is Yamhraiha of Magnostadt and the man is Sharrkan of Heliohapt." The sound of giggling brought their attention on a short, blonde female, "That's Pisti, also of Partevia."

The woman giggled and waved at them. "Hi!"

"And finally, that's Spartos of Sasan." A red-haired man bowed at them in greeting with a small smile on his lips.

"They are all either members of the royal families of my allied countries that I had to give refuge to, or people who cannot remain in their country for one reason or another. They are similar to you in that sense, Alibaba."

Sakura watched the group of people curiously as Sharrkan and Yamraiha were in another one of their glaring matches and Pisti was excitedly jumping up and down around Spartos. It was amazing how familiar this image was to her. Sakura smiled. It brought back so many good memories of a time that they didn't have to worry about war and losing those dear to them. Come to think of it, it had been a while since she had thought of her friends and she suddenly felt guilty for that. She was sure that Naruto hadn't forgotten about her…

"I have one more thing I must tell you." Sinbad's serious voice broke her out of her thoughts. "During the negotiations with the Kou Empire, I undertook one of their requests. Specifically, one of their princes is coming to study here, in Sindria. It's a complicated situation so please observe him first."

Alibaba was thoughtful at first but he replied with a small "Okay."

'_A prince of Kou, huh? I don't know what you are planning Sinbad but I'll be keeping an eye on that prince whether you like it not…..' _

"Oh, King Sin, did you also manage to settle matters with Princes Kougyoku?" spoke Jafar before sending a fleeting glance towards Sakura who frowned at the mention of that woman's name. _'What business could Sinbad have with her?'_ She narrowed her eyes.

"Whatever could you be talking about?" answered the purple-haired King almost indifferently making his right-hand man pale and widen his black eyes.

"No way…..You didn't make a move on her, did you?"

She vaguely heard Masrur say something along the lines of "The Ditz of the Seven Seas" and Sakura's eyes widened. _'M-Made a move on her…? He wouldn't…Sinbad wouldn't…..Would he?' _

"I went there for diplomatic reasons." retorted the King. "Of course I didn't make a move on her."

"You still have no desire to take a wife my King?" inquired Drakon.

"You should, Sinbad. Kids are great!" added Hinahoho. "You should have a lot!"

"What are you talking about? Even without kids, I already have a huge family. All of my people are my family." he said as he stood up and walked to the edge of the balcony, overlooking the beautiful Sindria. He raised his cup in toast and his people were quick to follow his example and cheer for him.

"May King Sinbad and Sindria be blessed!"

"Cheers!"

Sakura stared at his back as a soft smile touched her lips and she shook her head. _'I just can't stay mad at you, can I? You just have to go and say things like that….' _Despite slightly resenting him for hiding from her the fact that he intended to throw Alibaba into another war, she couldn't help but respect this man who loved his people so much. Come to think of it, he kind of reminded her of Naruto in that aspect….

'_You, Sinbad, are a force to be reckoned with…'_

XxxOxOxOxxX

Sakura leaned on the stone railing of the balcony, her eyes drinking in the sight of the festival and the people celebrating. The fires were still burning strong and the songs hadn't stopped even for a minute. Her eyes widened and a happy grin crossed her lips when she saw Morgiana dance to her heart's content. Absentmindedly, the pink-haired woman started tapping her foot to the rhythm of the music.

"You sure have brought change in that girl."

She looked up to see Sinbad approaching her with a smile on his face. She silently accepted the cup of wine he offered her as he came to lean on the stone railing beside her. She took a sip and the sweet amber liquid ran down her throat. "I'm just happy to see her smile. With her past, she deserves it more than anyone." Silence lapsed between them but it wasn't an uncomfortable one. For a while neither spoke, choosing to simply enjoy the cool night and the light breeze blowing through their hair.

"What's your home like Sakura?" he asked suddenly without looking at her.

"It's the most beautiful place in the world." she answered after a minute of silence and a gentle smile appeared on her lips as memories of Konoha flooded her mind. "The Village Hidden in the Leaves….The sky is the most mesmerizing shade of blue I've ever seen and the stars decorating the night sky shine most brightly. The trees of the forest surrounding the village are tall and their barks are rough but I've had the sweetest of dreams while sleeping against those. The leaves are wide and green all year long and the branches feel like home. And the sunset….Oh Sinbad, the sunset! The most beautiful shades of red and gold and orange bathing the Hokage Mountain in their colors."

Sinbad watched the woman with gentle eyes and a soft smile playing on his lips and he felt his heart swell with joy at the spark shining in her emerald eyes as she described her home. It felt like an invisible force was pulling him to her and he inched closer to her, focusing on the gentle passion in her voice as she spoke of a faraway home. So engrossed as she was in the description of her hometown, Sinbad took the chance to observe her. The Sindrian outfit fit her perfectly, with the traditional white bra supported by a gold chain that went around her slender neck, showing off her flat belly. The skirts hugged her hips as they fluttered around her long legs and the gold bracelets around her wrist jingled as she moved her hand. Her pink locks seemed to shine under the light of the fires as it fell down her back. But what pulled him in more than anything was her emerald eyes that shone brighter than gems as she gazed upon the city. _'Beautiful…..And unique…Unlike any other…..'_

"Your home….Do you miss it?"

"I do. Very much…" she answered softly. _'But the thing is….My heart aches for the home and the people that I left behind but…..' _She looked up at him through half-lidded eyes, making his heart race._ 'During my time here I found parts of myself that I thought I had lost long ago. I feel that if I ever go back, I will no longer belong. My heart will shatter and I will never be able to put the pieces back together…' _

"Someone special?" asked Sinbad carefully, though he wasn't so sure that he wanted to know the answer.

"Many….Many specials. Brothers and sisters…People I consider my family." She smiled as the faces of her friends flashed through her mind. Naruto, Kakashi, Tsunade, Shizune, Ino, Kiba….. _'But if it comes down to it, will I be able to leave all this behind? Will I be able to leave them….to leave him behind?' _

Sinbad watched as nostalgia and sadness flashed through her eyes and he placed his hand on her own. "You can start a new life here, you know. Sindria is a place you can call home. I'd be honored if you did." he said with a soft smile. _'And I don't want you to go…' _

Sakura's head snapped up at his words and her emerald eyes widened as she searched his face for any sign that he was toying with her. She wouldn't find any even if she spent the rest of her life searching. The absolute sincerity and warmth in his golden eyes made her breathing hitch and tears prickled at the corners of her eyes. _'He….He truly means it…' _Without a second thought, she flung her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a tight hug. She buried her face in his chest and let her tears fall as she breathed in his unique scent.

Sinbad's eyes widened as the woman cried in his embrace but they immediately softened and he secured his arms around her waist, bringing her closer to him. He buried his nose in her hair with a smile and the smell of the flowers on her hair reached his nose along with something that was entirely her, entirely Sakura. He couldn't help but think how right it felt to hold her like that. He closed his eyes and simply focused on the feeling of _them_. After a while, and almost reluctantly, he pulled back enough to cup her cheek and wipe her tears with his thumb.

"Now, now….Why are you crying my lady?"

"You….." she whispered with glazed eyes and buried her face in his broad chest once more. "You have no idea what this means to me….." Instilled in their minds and hearts since the early days of the Academy, the importance of home was known to every shinobi alive. Everything that they did was for the well-being and prosperity of their village. It was the ultimate duty of every shinobi. Personal feelings aside, the village always came first. Knowing that she had a place to call home, even when she was so far away from Konoha, was like filling a hole in her heart. And _he_ had filled that hole…..

All of a sudden, guilt crept into her heart and she looked away from him in regret. Her sudden change in demeanor didn't go unnoticed by Sinbad, who glanced at her worriedly.

"Sakura? Hey, what's wrong?" he asked her softly as he lifted her chin to stare into sad emerald eyes.

"I…I haven't been completely honest with you." she said with remorse laced in her voice.

Sinbad had thought so too. He would be lying if he said that he had believed the story about the slave caravan she told him all those months ago in Balbadd. But he trusted her with his life and he had known that she would talk to him when the time was right. "Would you like to talk to me now?"

Sakura nodded and, almost reluctantly, untangled herself from his embrace. "Please gather your Generals. Alibaba, Morgiana and Aladdin as well. There is something I must tell you….."

**TBC**

**Oh…my…GOD! I'm squealing like a fangirl right now but I can't bring myself to care! SinbadXSakura moment, people! Sakura has, more or less, realized that she might have **_**some**_** feelings for Sinbad, who is also very close to realizing his own. From now on, probably every chapter will involve a SinXSaku moment or two. We do want to build a strong romance, don't we? Coming up next is the big revelation of what really happened on the mission that led to Sakura's appearance in Balbadd! Secrets unveiled! I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Stay tuned for the next one! Until then…READ AND REVEW!**

**Lots of love! **


	19. Chapter 19

Sakura stared at the faces of the people gathered around her in Sinbad's office. She could feel the weight of several pairs of eyes on her person and that almost made her shift uncomfortably on her feet. If she wanted to be completely honest, she had played out this conversation many times before in her mind and it always ended up with them shunning her out or asking her to leave. After spending so much time with these people and forming so precious bonds, she knew that she wouldn't be able to bear their rejection. But the truth never changed according to one's ability to stomach it and guilt was clawing at her gut like a ferocious beast. The tension in the air was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. _'There is no easy way to tell them this so I might as well say it and be done with it….'_

Sakura took a deep breath, mentally preparing herself for what was to come. "I haven't been completely honest with you." she said as she unwrapped the bandage she had taken up to wearing around her joint to keep unwanted attention away from her scar. As the white bandage fell from around her arm and the thin lines became visible to the people in the room, multiple gasps were heard as almost everyone in the room, with the exception of Jafar, Masrur and Sinbad, couldn't keep their eyes from widening. She couldn't bear to glance at Alibaba, Morgiana and Aladdin. She couldn't bear to see the silent disappointment and accusation in their eyes.

"What kind of treachery is this?" growled Drakon and took a threatening step forward, making Sakura flinch at the word 'treachery'.

"Step back, Drakon. Let her speak." ordered Sinbad in a serious tone without tearing his eyes away from the pink-haired woman.

"My King! She bears the mark of Al-Thamen!"

"I know."

Sakura gasped and stared at the purple-haired man. "You know?"

"I do. I've known since our first meeting in Balbadd. I took note of that scar during our first conversation."

"Then why? Why didn't you say anything?"

"I was waiting for you to tell us when you thought the time was right. Now, please explain."

Sakura took a deep breath to calm her racing heart before raising her eyes to meet those of the people around her. "I know that what I'm about to say is hard to believe and you'll probably think that I'm lying but I can honestly say that it is the complete and only truth." She searched their faces to make sure that she had their undivided attention before continuing. "My home, Konoha, is very far away from here. For all I know, it could be hundreds of thousands of miles away or it could even be somewhere else entirely. Where I come from, we are called Shinobi. Soldiers, mercenaries, assassins….Call us whatever you want. We fight, we kill and we die to protect our village and our comrades. We also accept missions; requests given out by our leader or anyone who is willing to pay the right price to our village. It all started with one such mission." She passed her eyes over their faces to see every single one of them watching her attentively. "A man came into my leader's office requesting a team of shinobi to carry out a request. A robe-clad man wearing a checked mask."

Sinbad tensed. "Ithnan." He almost growled out the name.

Sakura nodded in affirmation. "He came in with a simple enough request. We were to carry a scroll to a neighboring village and wait for an answer before returning it to him. As simple as a mission can get. It was given to me and two of my friends, on his adamant request. That was the first thing that put me off about him. Simple missions like this are usually given to shinobi of lower rank. It hit me as strange that my leader would send three high-ranking officers on such an assignment. So I confronted her about it. She told me that the man had set that as a condition and had paid a considerable amount of money for it. She also told me that another one of his conditions was that I partake in the mission as the team's medic. Don't ask me why. I still haven't found that out myself. In the end, I had no choice but to accept the mission. Even though I was suspicious, I had no solid proof and refusing to carry out the request for no apparent reason would bring shame not only on me but my village and leader as well." Her throat felt dry and her heart was pounding in her chest but she forced herself to stay calm and continue. "The village we were to carry the scroll to, was half a week away from our own. The first couple of days of the mission went by smoothly and we faced no problems or delays. And then, on the last day before we reached our destination, everything went downhill." Her eyes glazed over as memories of that fateful day filled her mind. "In order to reach the village we had to pass through a small forest. It was child's play, considering we had gone through those trees numerous times in the past. But this time something was different. The mission was a setup. We were ambushed."

Morgiana gasped and Alibaba stared at her with wide eyes. "Ambushed?"

Sakura nodded. "The onslaught came from all sides. They moved through the trees like shadows, attacking us with a strange dark energy that we had never seen before. We fought but no matter what we tried, it seemed as if we could not touch them. It was almost as if they had no solid form. Either that, or they had some other power that we had never seen before. My friends and I tried to escape but they had us surrounded. And they were aiming to kill. One of my friends got injured and one of our enemies tried to finish her off. In an attempt to save her I dove in front of her, taking the blow. I fell unconscious and the next thing I knew, I woke up shackled to an altar with a number of robe-clad people standing around me. They tortured me."

As more gaps fell from the lips of Yamraiha, Alibaba and Aladdin, Sinbad's eyes widened. _'Tortured her?'_ Images of her screaming out in pain and her skin covered in her own blood flashed through his mind. He balled his fists at his sides and gritted his teeth as anger coursed through him before he was brought back to reality by Sakura's voice.

"One of them carved this into my arm." she said as she showed them her scar that still looked as fresh as it had been the day it was put there. "Al-Thamen, Al-Thamen. They kept chanting it over and over again. And those staves they held…..There was energy so dark and malevolent gathering around them that it almost suffocated me. And then the pain started. The closer they came to me the more intense it became. Searing, blood-curdling…..I've never felt so much pain in my life." She shivered as memories of that dreadful experience filled her. "I don't remember much else. Just darkness engulfing me and a vortex of colors and stars and light before I passed out from the pain. I woke up in Balbadd, sprawled out in an alley. You know the rest." she finished her story and turned her eyes away from them. "I know that at this point, it probably doesn't mean much but I just wanted to say that I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I lied to you. I only wanted to keep you safe. I'm so sorry…." she whispered as tears fell from her eyes and ran down her cheeks leaving wet trails on her skin. The room was silent and Sakura perceived their lack of response as the only answer she needed. _'This is it…It's all over….'_ she thought as grief filled her heart and a fresh wave of tears leaked from her eyes. She didn't dare raise her head. She couldn't bear to see the anger and repulsion on their faces. On the faces of these people that had grown to mean so much to her in such a short time…

She almost thought that she had imagined the soft fingers intertwining with her own. She slowly looked up and he eyes widened when she saw little Aladdin holding her hand and smiling at her.

"Wow, Sakura-nee-san. You sure have been through a lot. Do you think you could tell us more about your adventures?"

She stared at him in absolute surprise. Out of all things he could have said, this certainly wasn't what she had been expecting. Accusations, disgust, rejection, betrayal…..All these she had expected and yet….There he was, smiling at her and holding her hand as if she hadn't just confessed to lying to them all this time. "Tell you….more?"

"Yeah!" he answered cheerfully. "It seems to me that you have some very interesting stories to tell and I'm sure that all of us are interested in hearing them, right Morg?" he said and turned to the red-haired girl who smiled at the two.

"Yes!" she agreed with the blue-haired Magi as she walked up to them and took Sakura's other hand in her own before smiling up at the woman she had grown to consider not only her mentor but also the older sister she never had.

The pink-haired woman stared at them in astonishment. "You don't….hate me?"

"How could we ever hate you?" A hand came to rest on her shoulder and she raised her eyes to see Alibaba smiling at her. "We wouldn't even be here without you. I've lost count of how many times you've put your life in danger to save ours. Morgiana, Aladdin, King Sinbad, me…..We all owe you so much...After all, we never did ask you anything about your past, so it doesn't really count as lying, right?" he said and turned to the other occupants of the room.

The Eight Generals were silent for a while, trying to process everything they had just heard from the lips of the woman, before a sigh was heard and Sharrkan walked forward. "Well, if Pinky had the right mind to stare at me, then she can't be that bad." He smirked at the pink-haired woman whose eyes widened at his words.

"She did save our King's life and helped in the fight against the dark Magi…" Jafar added and took a step forward, offering the woman one of his rare smiles.

"That's right. She saved my life at the risk of her own and went up against Judar and a Dark Djinn to keep the people of Balbadd safe when she had no obligation to do so." stepped in Sinbad with a lopsided smile on his face and his arms crossed across his chest. The Eight Generals stared at their King in surprise before shifting their eyes to the pink-haired woman. Silence fell around them as they held her under their scrutinizing gazes.

"If our King trusts her, then I trust her too." Spartos broke the silence and bowed his head at her politely, as if telling her that he accepted her. Pisti followed his example and giggled before smiling widely at her while twirling a lock of blonde hair between her fingers.

"I guess this is it then." said Hinahoho with a smirk and shifted his strange weapon in his arms. "The lass is part of Sindria now."

Sakura stared at each one of them in wonder. _'They….They accepted me…..They really accepted me…'_ Tears of joy filled her vision as she stared at the smiling faces of those around her. They could have shunned her, rejected her and sent her away, even throw her in the dungeons for treason… _'But they didn't…They didn't…..' _A light squeeze on her shoulder brought her back to reality and she glanced at Alibaba through glazed eyes.

"See? You are part of us now, Sakura. Whether you like it or not." He smiled at her and all she could do was stare in astonishment at Alibaba, Morgiana and Aladdin, who were still holing each of her hands. Her racing heart swelled with joy and she smiled at them with tearful eyes. A chocked sob rose to her throat as she flung her arms around the three, pulling them tightly against her as she cried on Alibaba's shoulder. "Thank you, thank you so much….." she whispered again and again against him as the three returned her embrace.

"I have to ask…." started Yamraiha while moving closer to the pink-haired woman and the three youths. "How did you meet?" she asked with curiosity shining in her bright blue eyes as she watched them.

"We met Sakura-nee-san many months ago in Balbadd, when she helped us fight against Judar and one of the Kou Empire's Imperial Princesses." answered Aladdin with a smile as they pulled back from the embrace.

"That's right." added Alibaba with a nod of his head. "She came to our aid and healed me when Judar attacked me with his magic."

"Actually, about that…" All eyes turned to Sakura, who was rubbing the back of her neck with a nervous lopsided smile on her face.

"Sakura? Is something wrong?"

"You see, Alibaba, that wasn't exactly the first time we met."

"Huh?" said the boy and stared at her with confused eyes. "What do you mean?"

"Umm…Do you remember that night? On the bridge? You spoke with a cloaked figure….."

"I remember. What about it-" His golden eyes widened as realization hit him. "No way! That was you?!"

All previous tension was forgotten as Hinahoho's boisterous laughter at Alibaba's dumbfounded look echoed around them, only to be followed by Sharrkan and Pisti.

And as Sakura smiled sheepishly at the speechless boy, so did Sinbad's heart…

**TBC**

**Alright! Chapter's here, people! Sakura's past was finally revealed to the gang, though there are still some questions regarding Al-Thamen's intentions with her that remain to be answered. Alibaba, Aladdin, Morgiana and the Eight Generals have accepted and believed her so Saku-chan no longer has to hide from them. As far as Sinbad is concerned, he had already known about the Eight-Pointed Star on her joint so it was never a matter of accepting her. What he really wanted was to find out more about her past and how she ended up in Balbadd in the first place. I hope you liked the chapter! I certainly had fun writing it. The next one's coming up soon so stay tuned! Until then…READ AND REVIEW!**

**Lots of love! **


	20. Chapter 20

"Damn it, Masrur!" hissed Sakura as she healed another bruise on her arm. "Do you have to hit so hard?" Sparring with the red-haired Fanalis was always interesting. His fists were made of steel and he was an expert when it came to hand-to-hand combat. And Gods knew that it had been a while since she had last gotten some proper training done, what with all that had happened. She had sparred with a couple of the other Generals but she had to admit that Jafar and Masrur were definitely her favorite ones. Their fighting styles were closer to what she was used to and they were challenging. Masrur's brute strength was an excellent match for her own and Jafar had the agility and cunning of a shinobi.

The red-haired man crossed his arms across his muscular chest with his face as impassive as always. "You asked for a spar, Sakura. I never said I would go easy on you."

"That's right. I asked for a _spar_, not a one-way ticket to broken bones. And just so you know, fractures are a bitch to heal." she retorted and moved on to another bruise on her calf where he had kicked her in an attempt to make her loose her footing. She was damn lucky that he hadn't broken her bone.

"You can always go ask Sharrkan to train with you." he said with closed eyes as he leaned against the bark of a tree in the small clearing they had been sparring in.

"Come on, Mas! Loosen up." said Sakura with a wide smile and gave him a friendly punch on the shoulder that earned her a sideways glance from the Fanalis warrior. "I didn't mean to offend you. After all, you know that Sharrkan isn't a good match for me when it comes to fighting. He'd probably make me want to kill him for real halfway through the spar, anyway." She laughed as her mind flew to the white-haired swordsman, who had developed a habit of teasing her every chance he got. She smiled as she stared off in the direction of the palace. Through the trees, she could see its impressive blue peaks that shone under the light of the sun. Somewhere is those walls, Alibaba and Aladdin were training hard under the guidance of their respective mentors. _'They sure have come a long way since the day I met them…..Alibaba, Aladdin, Morgiana….They have grown so much….'_ She healed the last of her bruises and turned to her red-haired friend with a wide smile. "Now, let me take a look at your head." she said and moved closer to the man.

"There is no need for that." he said and turned his head away from the pink-haired woman. Sakura rolled her eyes at him. _'Males and their egos…'_ Gently but firmly, she grabbed his head and pulled it down to her eyelevel in order to examine the slash above his eyebrow, completely ignoring the grunt of protest that escaped from his lips. He made a move to pull back but she didn't budge and continued to hold his head in her grasp.

"Stop being so stubborn and let me take a look, you big baby!" She examined the wound closely and placed a glowing hand over it, making quick work of disinfecting it before mending the torn skin back together. "Now, was it that hard?" She smiled widely at him as she patted his head like she often did with Morgiana, making him glare at her, though there was no malicious intent behind it.

"I hate you." he said as impassively as always, though she knew that he didn't mean it if the amused spark in his red eyes was any indication. Masrur was a hard individual to read but she dared say that she could understand him good enough and certainly much better than many others. After all, she had had much practice after spending so many years in the company of Kakashi, Sasuke and, for the past few years, Gaara. But their relationship had definitely improved since they started training Morgiana together and she could honestly say that she considered him a dear friend and a precious ally. And if the way he acted around her was any indication, then the feeling was mutual.

"Love you too, Mas!" she said with a giggle and smiled cheerfully at him before leaning back against the tree beside the man. She sighed in content and closed her eyes, focusing on the sound of the birds chirping around them and the sound of the waves crushing against the sand not very far from where they were resting. Taking naps in the forest was a habit that she had picked up from the male beside her and she could honestly say that she didn't regret it one bit. Shinobi almost never had chances at such serene and calming moments and she would cherish them for as long as she could. She didn't know how long they just laid there against the tree, side by side, with the blue sky above their heads and soft grass under their fingers, a cool breeze blowing through their hair and making the leaves rustle.

"Sakura, Masrur."

Two pairs of eyes snapped open at the sound of the voice and Sakura stood from her leaning position on the tree to look up at the white-haired male. "Jafar?"

"King Sinbad has requested your presence."

"Is something wrong?" asked the pink-haired woman as she stood to her feet, followed closely by Masrur.

"The delegates from the Kou Empire have arrived."

XxxOxOxOxxX

Sakura stood at the back, behind Sinbad and his Generals as they watched Kou's ship reach port. She didn't know what to think of this visit but she was sure that the Imperial Prince on that ship hadn't come to Sindria merely for studying. And if she knew Sinbad as well as she thought she did, then she could tell that he thought the same. She watched as soldiers from Kou arrayed themselves across from Sindria's welcoming party and instinctively inched closer to Alibaba, Aladdin and Morgiana. Sinbad might have negotiated with the Kou Emperor, but she was sure as hell that the Kou Empire wouldn't just abandon their ambitions and their claims on Balbadd. Alibaba was still in danger. Her eyes narrowed.

The first individual to disembark from the ship was a boy of average height with dark blue hair and blue eyes, the left one being a lighter shade than the right. There was a large burn scar covering the left side of his face and his clothes were fit for royalty.

'_That must be the Imperial Prince…' _

He came to stand before Sinbad and clasped his hand together before bowing in respect. "I am the fourth prince of the Kou Empire, Hakuryuu Ren."

Sinbad smiled kindly at the boy. "His Majesty spoke to me about you. Welcome to Sindria."

"Even without my stepfather's command, I have long wished to meet with you, sir."

"I am honored." The purple-haired King glanced behind the boy. "By the way, who is that lady behind you, Lord Hakuryuu….?" Sakura immediately recognized the woman. How could she not? She fought down the urge to groan and glared at the red-haired woman.

"Lady K-Kougyoku Ren?"

In any other occasion, the look on Jafar's face would have been almost comical but Sakura was trying really hard to keep her temper in check to pay him much attention. "You mean the one who has the hots for Sinbad!" She resisted the urge to march over and tell Hinahoho to 'shut the hell up'.

"So, she followed him here!" said Pisti with a giggle and Yamraiha nodded in agreement.

"Thank you for the other day. It's a pleasure to see you again." the Princess said and Sakura tried hard to keep the scowl off her face. The princess and she hadn't parted on the best of terms and the pink-haired woman still hadn't forgotten how she had ordered her lackeys to kill her friends or the heart-broken expression on little Aladdin's face.

"Likewise." answered Sinbad. Behind him, Jafar was a step away from biting his nails off in nervousness. "Hey, they are acting normal." observed Pisti and the white-haired man sighed in relief. "Thank goodness, it looks like nothing happened." Sharrkan pouted. "Aww, snap! And here I thought it would be interesting."

'_Remind me to kill him next time we spar…..' _

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" said Sinbad and smiled charmingly at the young woman. "We never got the chance to meet while I was in the Kou Empire, did we? Well, I'm truly happy to be reunited with you right now!"

Despite her annoyance, Sakura couldn't help but raise a questioning eyebrow at the way the Princess's shoulders were shaking and the sound of her voice as she spoke. "Did he say 'never got the chance to meet?'" Multiple pairs of eyes widened and mouths fell open when the Princess pulled a sword from inside her kimono and attacked Sinbad, who barely managed to jump back. Sakura growled and in the blink of an eye, she was standing protectively in front of a dumbfounded Sinbad with a kunai held tightly in her hands and her face set in a hard expression. However, the Princess didn't even spare her a glance and continued to glare heatedly at the purple-haired king.

"Curse you Sinbad! I'd resolved to swallow my tears and endure it for the sake of my country if you apologized, but I can't forgive you after all!" She pulled the ornament from her hair and with a burst of light, a familiar blade appeared in her hands. Sakura tensed and readied herself for an attack as a jet of water rose to the sky behind the Princess. "Duel me, Sinbad! For the barbarous act of violating the body of a maiden, you deserve to die ten thousand deaths!" Sakura's mouth fell open in pure shock and her grip on her kunai slackened. All previous thoughts of battle forgotten, she stared at the red-haired woman with eyes as wide as plates. _'V-Violated…..her?!'_

"I knew it! W-What did you do to her?" yelled Jafar accusingly and pointed a finger at his King.

"I-I didn't do anything!" retorted Sinbad in an attempt to defend himself.

"What's the meaning of this, You Highness?" Jafar exclaimed and turned to look at the princess, who, before the very confused and equally shocked eyes of everyone present, broke down and tears started to run down her face.

"Jafar made her cry!"

"Um….Um….I'm sorry! I didn't mean-"

"Excuse me!" interrupted a new voice and Sakura got over her shock just enough to turn and look at the familiar man with the strange hat that she recognized as the Princess's follower and advisor. "It would be cruel to force the princess to describe what happened herself. Please allow me to continue." He made sure that he had their undivided attention before continuing. Sakura didn't about the others, but he certainly had hers. "According to the princess herself, this is what happened…..On the last night of King Sinbad's visit to the Kou Empire, a farewell banquet was held. When morning broke, and Princess Kougyoku awoke in bed….she found King Sinbad sleeping beside her naked!" Jafar was as close to having a heart attack as one could get. "If, after all this, you insist that nothing happened, I would very much like to hear your explanation….King Sinbad!"

One look at Sinbad's face told Sakura everything she needed to know. The man seemed like a deer caught in the headlights with his face being a mask of shock and his eye twitching. She really wanted to believe that he hadn't done it. And he probably hadn't. The Sinbad she knew would never fall so low and he certainly was no fool. He would never dare lay a finger on the Princess, especially while being in enemy territory.

"Curse you, Sinbad, for defiling the body of a Kou Empire princess! Duel me, right now! Should you refuse, I will kill you, and then I, too, shall die!" The Princess continued to shout with her sword held in shaky hands as more tears ran down her cheeks.

"Ah, my poor princess….What a scandal! You must be in such pain, Your Highness!" exclaimed Ka Koubun dramatically as he stood near the red-haired woman.

While Sinbad was trying really hard to remember whether he had really done it or not, Jafar glared at his King's back. "A lewd act by the King of Sindria….Followed by the Princess's suicide….Leading further to war with the Kou Empire!" Sinbad gritted his teeth as his advisor's words began to sink in and he narrowed his eyes in an attempt to concentrate and at least try to remember that night.

"Come to think of it, the king wasn't drunk at all that night." Said Sharrkan and Spartos nodded in agreement. Sinbad's head snapped up at the sound of those words and he turned to look at his Generals with hopeful eyes. "Right? I only had a sip or two as courtesy. Afterwards, I headed straight to my bedroom."

"And we definitely saw that you did." Added Spartos.

"Right! I just went right to sleep! Like I said, nothing happened between the princess and me."

"Then tell me, why was I in your room?" yelled the Princess from her place on the ground.

"Your Highness, I unfortunately have no memory of that…"

"Then tell me, why were you naked? Did you have some reason to remove your clothing while asleep?"

Sakura's eyes widened. _'Naked….?'_

Sinbad nodded with a small smile. "That is not an infrequent occurrence."

Sakura fought down the urge to slap her forehead at how straightforward he was and didn't even make a move when the woman pulled out her blade once more.

"Don't insult me!" she yelled in his face as she held her sword close to his throat, though Sakura highly doubted that she would actually use it. "If you are going to insist on playing innocent, then why don't you hear my version of what happened? That night I stayed in a corner of the room at the banquet. But the festivities were over before I got a chance to speak to you…And after that…I was assaulted by some unknown person, and lost consciousness…The next thing I knew, I had woken up in Lord Sinbad's room!"

"Meaning…what?" inquired Jafar.

"Meaning….this is most likely what happened…." Exclaimed Ka Koubun. "In order to satiate his own twisted desire, he knocked the princess unconscious, after which he committed the deed!"

"That's twisted!"

"That's why I've been telling him to take a wife!"

"How heinous!"

Sinbad turned to his Generals, who were watching him accusingly. "You guys-have some faith in your own king, will you? For crying out loud….do you really believe that I'd get drunk enough to act so disrespectfully in the middle of a diplomatic mission?" The looks on their faces spoke volumes of what his Generals actually thought and had the situation been any different, Sakura would have burst out laughing at the look on the purple-haired man's face as he stared at his allies' accusing faces.

"I do believe it." deadpanned Jafar. "As far as your drinking habits are concerned, I have no trust whatsoever in you."

"It's always the same old story after all." added Masrur.

"There's an endless stream of complaints from women you've hit on." Said Spartos.

"The other day, we even got a complaint from a really old lady!" followed Pisti with a cheerful smile.

"You guys….." Sinbad's mouth fell open as he stared at his General's with wide eyes before turning to Sakura. "But you believe me, right Sakura?" Despite the gravity of the situation, knowing that _she_ believed him was far more important than anything else…

His eyes were hopeful as he looked at her and Sakura found herself at a loss of what to say. "O-Oi, don't look at me like that….." The look on his face at her answer made her feel horrible and she felt like such a traitor, but what was she supposed to say? She really didn't know what could have possibly happened and while she was almost sure that he was innocent, she couldn't just say it in front of a princess of a rivaling royal family, who so strongly believed that she had been defiled by him. What if her word made things worse for Sinbad? And there was also that small possibility that clawed at her gut. What if….What if he had really done it?

Sinbad hung his head in defeat. "What's up with that? W-Was the trust between us nothing but a lie?"

"As if we can just stand here and listen to the rumblings of a drunkard!"

'_Ouch….That was a low blow…'_ the pink-haired woman thought as she glanced sympathetically at the distressed purple-haired man.

"To take responsibility for your actions…" stated Ka Koubun. "You have no other choice but to marry the princess!"

Sakura's eyes widened at his words. _'Marry?!'_ It was then that her mind took a different turn. Alarming bells went off in her head as she processed the man's words a bit better. _'Wait….What if….'_ Her eyes narrowed as a series of thoughts entered her mind.

Sinbad abruptly turned to look at the robe-clad man. "Marry her?"

"But of course. If you had done such a thing as her betrothed, the princess's honor would remain unscathed. Our Emperor would surely be willing to offer her to such a man as you."

"Hold up! Who are you to…..?"

"It can't be helped." said Jafar.

"A political marriage with the Kou Empire?" inquired Yamraiha.

"If it's a matter of either war or good will, he probably doesn't have a choice." continued the white-haired man. "There's no way around it! To share the fate of a disgraced master…is a vassal's job after all."

All Eight General's took a step forward. "King Sinbad! Please come to a decision!"

Sinbad looked like a deer caught in the headlights as he shifted his eyes between his allies and the Princess before fisting his hands in his hair. "I can't take this anymore!" He turned to blue-haired water mage. "Yamraiha, use your power to prove my innocence!"

**TBC**

**Difficult times for Sin! XD I hope you liked the chapter. I have to say that the episode where Kougyoku accuses Sinbad of defiling her is one of my favorites! I was laughing so hard halfway through the episode that I almost missed the rest of it when I watched it for the first time. Sakura is a bit uncertain about whether Sinbad has really done or not, but I'm sure that deep down she believes him. She is going to be more active in the next chapter. There was no actual SinXSaku scene in this one but Sakura did get a **_**tab**_** pissed. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it. The next chapter is coming up soon so stay tuned. Until then…READ AND REVIEW!**

**Lots of love!**


	21. Chapter 21

"Yamraiha, use your power to prove my innocence!"

The blue-haired water mage looked at her King with a worried expression on her face. "Are you sure about that? I can only show you what really happened, you know."

"That's fine." said Sinbad determinedly.

"Alright. Come with me. Your Highness? You too." Yamraiha watched them carefully as they approached her. "I shall show you…what really transpired." Water began to gather in her hands.

"You mustn't, Your Highness!" yelled Ka Koubun with a panicked expression on his face that only served to make Sakura even more suspicious of this 'violation' story. _'They wouldn't dare, would they? Sly bastards….' _She stalked the man with narrowed emerald eyes.

"Sharrar Rakesa!" The spheres of water around Yamraiha's hands shot in the air before splashing to the ground, only to rise again in the forms of Sinbad and Princess Kougyoku. Sakura stared in wonder at the two likenesses. _'This place never ceases to surprise me….' _

"What the heck is this….?" asked Alibaba, voicing the question that most of them were thinking about.

"I'm going to have their Rukh tell us what happened that night." answered Yamraiha with a small smile. "And you cannot lie to this particular magic!" More water surrounded the two likenesses, setting the appropriate scene that Sakura guessed was chambers of the Imperial Palace. "Right. He's sleeping." she said as they watched Sinbad's figure lying on the bed. "Where's the princess?" Their eyes were drawn to the second likeness that was walking through a large hallway. "She's walking." Their eyes widened when suddenly the princess's figure was lifted off the floor.

"She's floating." noted Aladdin.

"Someone's carrying her." added Sakura, who glanced skeptically at the princess's advisor. "And now she's being placed next to King Sinbad…." she continued when they saw the figure be placed beside Sinbad's likeness.

"So, Sinbad-ojisan didn't do anything, right?" said Aladdin happily.

"He might start doing something to her now!"

"He could have made someone else carry her!" said Jafar as he covered little Aladdin's eyes. "Children shouldn't watch such things!"

As the Generals continued to watch attentively, Sakura shifted her eyes to the princess's advisor, who looked as white as a sheet. Her eyes flashed and she began approaching the man with careful steps. He didn't take notice of her until she was almost breathing near his ear. "Hey there." He almost jumped out of his skin and she had to duck to avoid being hit by the fan in his hands. "Why so jumpy? Is something wrong?" she asked in feigned interest and watched his face carefully.

"Go away, woman! I will not speak to any of that twisted King's subordinates!" he exclaimed in a feeble attempt to intimidate her and turned his head away from her. Sakura fought down the urge to roll her eyes and took a few calming breaths to keep her temper in check. She turned to look at him once more with feigned concern in her emerald eyes.

"Are you sure you're alright? You look really pale…."

"So, he didn't do anything after all…" they heard Jafar's voice.

"See, what did I tell you? I didn't do anything, did I?" said a cheerful and obviously relieved Sinbad.

A smile split Sakura's face as she looked at him before turning to Ka Koubun. "Ah, it seems that my King isn't twisted after all." She chuckled when she heard the Generals apologizing to their King, who was making a show of expressing 'how much grief they caused him with their mistrust', as he so dramatically put it. He turned to the princess with a relieved smile. "Your Highness, as you can see, nothing happened. Neither your body nor your honor have been defiled."

"Y-You're right."

"Don't let him deceive you! Such dubious magic proves nothing. Just be a man and admit your guilt, King Sinbad!" The robe-clad man exclaimed and Sakura watched his movements closely. _'He seems almost desperate to prove that Sinbad did indeed commit the deed…..'_ Her eyes narrowed as her mind revolved around certain thoughts that she didn't like one bit. _'No….No matter how smitten she is with Sinbad'_ she thought with distaste _'the princess would never resort to such practices….But him….' _She looked at Ka Koubun._ 'He is another story…'_

"Enough, Ka Koubun."

"Your Highness….."

"To be honest, even I thought it was strange." the red-haired woman confessed. "Neither my clothes nor my hair were out of place…But I was so confused and so scared that I made a commotion." She sobbed in her sleeves before turning to Sinbad and the Eight Generals. "I'm sorry!" she said as she bowed low before the purple-haired King.

"But that means that someone else is the culprit….."

"Such a horrible thing as this…"

Sakura watched Ka Koubun closely and almost smirked at the expression on his face. _'Seriously, this one would have made even Ibiki laugh at how obvious he is…' _The man was sweating bullets and he was gritting his teeth in nervousness as he stared at the princess and two of her guards that were consoling the distressed woman. She stalked him with her eyes like a predator watching its prey as she approached him once more. With the others preoccupied with musings on who could be the one responsible, she was free to talk to him without any interruptions. "Who do _you_ think is the culprit, my Lord?" she whispered in his ear and he jumped in surprise.

"H-How should I know?"

"Is that so?" she inquired. "What a shame…Such an act of treason deserves to be punished." In the corner of her eye, she saw his eyes widen at the words 'treason' and 'punished'. "Where I come from, treason is a crime punished with death." she continued as she walked around him like a predator. "Only after the interrogation is complete, of course."

The man paled. "I-Interrogation?"

"Well, of course. What did you expect, my Lord? Questioning a criminal, especially a traitor, is standard process. Most of the times, not an entirely painless one, if you know what I mean." She smirked at the man who looked as pale as a ghost. "Some of them need a….helping hand, if you will, to make them remember. Most of them break after a couple snapped bones." He gulped. "Others, on the other hand….." She left her sentence hanging, but the smirk on her face and the pointed look she gave him was enough to make him understand what she meant. Describing a situation to someone was one thing, but letting him imagine it on his own was something else entirely. The mind could be one's greatest weapon but it could also be their downfall just as easily.

'_Job well done….'_ thought Sakura as she watched the expressions change on the man's face. He was sweating bullets and his muscles would snap if he got any tenser. So engrossed as he was in his thoughts, he noticed the guards kneel before the princess a few seconds too late.

"Your Highness! Please forgive us! Ka Koubun was behind it all." they said apologetically with shaking shoulders. "We helped him." continued one of them regrettably.

The robe-clad man's eyes grew as wide as plates as he stared at the two guards with a horrified expression on his face. "What the…..?!" he sputtered. "Wh-Wh-Wh-What are you, idiots?" His voice was high-pitched and the fan held tightly in his hands was shaking along with his fingers.

"Well, but we feel sorry for the princess….."

"Yeah. And we sure as hell don't want to go through the interrogation that woman described….." said the second, glancing warily at Sakura, who lowered her head to hide a smirk. So the guards had heard her, after all…

"Seize the renegades who tried to frame King Sinbad!"

"It seems to me my Lord that you are in big trouble." said Sakura near Ka Koubun's ear with a smile on her face before it turned into a scowl. "Consider yourself lucky that my King is a lenient man. Or else….." She cracked her knuckles and took great satisfaction in the fact that he instinctively moved away from her. Two dozen Sindrian guards surrounded them and moved in to seize the man.

"I can't let myself be caught now!" he suddenly yelled and pulled his sword from its sheathe, making Sinbad and the Generals tense. It didn't remain in his grip for long. Within seconds, his blade fell from his grasp with a loud clang as Sakura pressed a kunai to his neck.

"You people from Kou…." she growled in his ear. "You never know when to stop, do you?" She pressed the blade closer, making him whimper pathetically. "But I did warn you….."

"Please stop! That's enough!" All heads turned to look at Prince Hakuryuu, who had stepped forward with a serious expression on his face. "I think that we've had enough of this farce. King Sinbad, this uproar was caused by the immorality of my countrymen." He fell to his knees before the purple-haired man. "We also have Clairvoyance Magic in my country. It confirmed that what your Water Magic saw was also true. Am I wrong Ka Koubun?" he said pointedly without glancing back at the man with the kunai still pressed against his carotid.

"N-No…." he choked out and looked away from the prince.

"On behalf of the Kou Empire, I apologize for my companions' disrespectful behavior! However, as I have other reasons for studying here, I ask for your permission to remain here." said the young Prince earnestly.

Sinbad smiled at him kindly. "Right, permission granted." He turned to Sakura with a lopsided smile and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "I think it is safe enough to let him go, Sakura."

The pink-haired woman glanced warily between Sinbad and the man in her grip before finally releasing him but not before smirking at how he immediately put quite some distance between them. She was about to move next to Sinbad when her attention was brought to the man with the purple tattoo across his nose once more.

"I had no other choice!" he said as he fell to his knees. "For a dirty piece of trash like me to harbor any dreams, this was the only way to go!"

"Please don't talk like that." said the princess as she approached the man. "You are a fine, upstanding person, Ka Koubun."

"Your Highness….."

Sakura fought down the urge to roll her eyes at the two, as he sobbed in the young woman's shoulder. _'Does he really think that he can convince anyone?'_ she thought as she sent the man a dirty look. _'Seriously, Naruto has given better performances to get us to have ramen for dinner…'_

She leaned closer to Sinbad. "Are you sure about letting them off the hook? After what we just saw, I sure as hell don't trust them. They could have something else planned that might be more drastic than trying to force you into marriage…" she said with her mind recalling missions that involved enemy shinobi, Leaf daimyos and assassination attempts. _'If they as much as dare think that they can kill Sinbad or harm anyone else in Sindria, I'll make sure they won't be capable of another coherent thought ever again….' _

"It's fine, Sakura." He smiled at her warmly. "I'm sure that they won't be trying anything, especially after this failed attempt. At the very least, it doesn't look like that prince will be heading home until he fulfills whatever his goal is." he continued as they watched the Kou guards unload their ship.

However, the pink-haired woman wasn't so convinced. Her experience had taught her that when desperate, people tend to become dangerously unpredictable. Ka Koubun had gone to extreme measures to lead Kougyoku to believe that she had been defiled by Sinbad. How could they be sure that the prince hadn't been sent there to assassinate Sinbad or find out information about Sindria? Despite her suspicions, she chose to keep quiet. While her doubts were anything but impossible, it was also just as possible that she was wrong. She would have to look into it a bit more before mentioning anything to either Sinbad or Jafar.

"Jafar, please escort our guests back to the palace." said Sinbad as he glanced at the delegates from Kou. "You too Aladdin, Alibaba." He looked at the blonde prince. "I know that it might not sit very well with you but, as I've told you before, observe him before passing judgment." he continued, referring to Prince Hakuryuu.

Albeit a bit hesitantly, Alibaba nodded and followed Jafar along with Aladdin but not before glancing at Sakura as if seeking assurance. The pink-haired woman smiled at him and nodded, telling him in her own way to follow Sinbad's advice. Who knew? Maybe the young prince would prove her wrong and surprise then pleasantly…Sinbad watched them leave before turning to her with a pointed look in his eyes. "Traitor."

"Hey! I didn't do anything." she protested. "It's not my fault that you have a reputation as a womanizer!"

Sinbad crossed his arms across his broad chest. "You could have backed me up."

"You were being accused of defiling an Imperial Princess. There wasn't much I could do. After all, I wasn't so sure that you hadn't done it." she answered stubbornly. Despite the serious expression on her face, it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep her amusement in check.

Sinbad stared at her with wide eyes and his mouth hanging open in an almost comical way. "You mean…that you don't trust me?" he said incredulously.

"Jafar received a complaint about you hitting on an old lady, Sinbad. What did you expect?" she replied and fought down the urge to laugh at his expression.

"I was drunk!" he defended himself, though that wasn't a very good argument if you asked her.

"Exactly. I have to agree with Jafar. As far as alcohol is concerned, you are not to be trusted."

"Damn it, Sakura….You are one heartless woman…" he said with slumped shoulders and a sulky pout on his handsome face.

"No, I am a sincere one. Lady Killer of the Sever Seas…" She couldn't contain a snort and the muffled laugh that escaped the lips. His head snapped up at the sound of the familiar nickname and her amused giggle and he glared at her, though there was no real power behind it.

"It's not funny. They almost had my head back there….."

"And whose fault would that be, my King?" she asked with a smirk that made him scowl at her.

"You are horrible….."

"No, I am honest. Drama Queen….." she said and allowed another, louder giggle to slip past her lips.

"How respectful a way to address your King….."

"I beg you to forgive me, my King…."she said with feigned remorse laced in her voice. "'Do you realize how much grief you caused me?'" she continued in a poor imitation of Sinbad earlier that day. Her laughter grew louder and despite his annoyance at being made fun of, Sinbad couldn't help but join her. Her laughter sounded like ringing bells to his ears and seeing her so carefree and happy caused a wide smile to appear on his face as they continued to laugh together, making a couple Kou guards glance at them strangely.

"Did you really believe that I could ever do something like that?" he asked her suddenly and despite his light tone, his eyes told her that he was serious about this. It really did matter to him whether she believed him or not…..

She stared at him for a while before shaking her head and smiling. "No, I didn't."

"So you do trust me?" he asked and he couldn't keep the hopeful spark out of his eyes.

"Believe me, it bruises my ego to admit this….." she joked. "But I do trust you…..with my life." she finished and this time there was no jesting aura around her.

A giggle or two escaped Sakura's lips at the relief on his face, before she took a few deep breaths to calm her racing heart. However, it didn't last very long. For no sooner had she stopped laughing than Sinbad grabbed her hand in his and started pulling her towards the palace, making her heart skip a beat at the feeling of her fingers intertwined with his own.

"Come on, now. Let's head back." he said, smiling at her softly over his shoulder and she couldn't help but return it with a smile of her own.

As they headed back to the palace, not once did he let go of her hand….

**TBC**

**As I've already said, this was one of my favorite episodes. Especially the part where the Eight Generals didn't believe Sinbad was funny as hell. I hope you liked the chapter. As you have probably guessed, I really like having Sakura and Sinbad hold hands or hug each other. These moments might seem a bit cliché but I do believe that it is the small things, simple but meaningful gestures that can make the difference between two people. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it! Next chapter is coming up soon-possibly sooner than usual-so stay tuned. Until then….REAND AND REVIEW!**

**Lots of love!**


	22. Chapter 22

"The organization that inhabits the Kou Empire has set its sights on Sindria. And it is already on the move."

Sakura's eyes widened at the young prince's words and she just barely contained the gasp that threatened to escape her lips as she continued to watch the two males conversing from her place in the shadows created by the tall pillars of the palace. Agile and silent as she was, she moved closer without either of them taking notice of her and channeled more chakra to her ears to enhance her hearing. She knew that what she was doing was wrong and eavesdropping had never been a tactic that she frequently resorted to but desperate times called for desperate measures. She knew that Sinbad wouldn't talk to her, not right away at least, and time was of the essence. If she was to keep all of them-herself included-safe, then she had to know. Know your enemy, they said.

'_Sindria is their next target…We have less time than I thought…..' _She glanced at Sinbad worriedly. He appeared calm on the outside but if she looked closely enough, she could see his clenched jaw and the fisted hand at his side. She shifted her gaze to Hakuryuu and her eyes narrowed in obvious and justified suspicion. _'But why would he betray his own country's plans to the enemy? What could possibly be his motive?'_ Apparently, Sinbad shared the same suspicions as her because he faced the young prince with a serious face and hard eyes.

"Assuming that you speak the truth, why would you, a prince of the Kou Empire, be telling me this?" The wind played with the purple-haired King's hair. "What is your purpose here?"

When he offered his answer, the look in the prince's eyes made a shiver run down her spine. "To destroy the Kou Empire." His mouth was set in a hard line and his mismatched eyes shone with an unforgiving glint that was as scary as it was familiar. A look very similar to one she remembered from her younger days on a pale face with onyx eyes, framed by raven locks….

Her eyes widened and she couldn't help a sharp intake of breath. For a moment she feared that Sinbad had heard her but quickly dismissed the thought. Even if he had, he wouldn't blow her cover while in the presence of Hakuryuu. Her mind was reeling as she continued to listen in on the males' conversation.

"King Sinbad, please lend me your power in the fight against the Kou Empire."

Sakura watched the boy carefully. _'What could have possibly happened to make him turn against his own country? Wanting to change the foundations of one's country is one thing, but declaring war against it…..' _

Sinbad turned to look at the ocean and for a while he stood silent with a thoughtful expression on his face. For all she was worth, Sakura couldn't possible guess what could be running through his mind.

"You came here to study, right?" he started without glancing at the boy. "Then first, I want you to take the time to study my country."

Sakura furrowed her brow. _'What are you doing, Sinbad? Why would you let him study Sindria? Why take that chance?'_

"I don't have time for that!" protested the Prince. "Please, give me your answ-"

A look from Sinbad was all it took to silence him. The purple-haired King's eyes were as serious as death and Sakura had to admit even she would have been rendered speechless under that intense gaze.

"If you wish to continue our discussion, become more knowledgeable. Learn about the outside world, and the different people who inhabit it. Then we'll talk." Sinbad's voice was kind but almost commanding.

"But-"

"That would be all for tonight, Prince Hakuryuu." interrupted Sinbad with an air of finality around him that left no room for argument. "Take the time to relax tonight because tomorrow is a whole new day."

The young prince stared at the man with wide eyes and Sakura was almost sure that he would protest but he proved her wrong by sighing deeply and lowering his head. "Yes, sir." he said with a respectful bow before turning around and disappearing down a long staircase.

Sinbad didn't move from his place against the stone railing and continued to gaze at the horizon where the sun was setting, bathing the sea and Sindria in bright reds and oranges. Below, his people were getting ready for the night, though laughter was never absent from their lips. _'But for how long?' _The wind played with his long ponytail, making his hoop earrings jingle.

"You can come out now. He's long gone." A barely audible 'thud' informed him of the arrival of the pink-haired woman as she swiftly landed beside him. Sakura looked at him before shifting her eyes to the horizon.

"How did you know I was here?"

"You are like the wind, Sakura. I expect you to be anywhere." He smiled at her, though it didn't reach his eyes. "I would have been surprised if you hadn't been around."

"What do we do now, Sinbad?" she asked as she leaned on the stone railing. "If what the boy said is indeed true then we must decide on a course of action. We must make plans and organize our defenses. We must be ready when they come." An image of Sindria burning flashed through her mind along with the faces of the people she had grown to care about, making her stomach clench. Lately, the truth of her situation had begun to _really_ sink in and the possibility that she might never return to Konoha seemed more real now than ever. She could honestly say that she had grown to love this beautiful place like a second home and she would do everything in her power to preserve the smiles on the faces of these people that had opened their arms to her.

"I'll keep silent about this for now and I want you to do the same. I do not wish to raise arms against Kou for no real reason nor do I want to cause panic among my people."

Sakura nodded. "I understand." She stared at the calm sea for a while before a soft smile touched her lips. "You really do love them, don't you?"

"Ah, I do." he replied and she saw his eyes change as he gazed upon the city and the people lighting torches along the streets. They were gentle, much calmer. They reminded her of the Third Hokage's eyes. Sarutobi Hiruzen had always had a soft expression of his face every time he gazed upon Konoha through the window in the Hokage's office. Sakura could recall thinking that his kind eyes reminded her of those of a father watching over his children. The look in Sinbad's eyes wasn't much different. She rested her hand on his own making him turn to look at her. She smiled at him gently.

"Don't worry Sinbad. As long as Sindria has you, it will always manage to pull through."

He stared at her for a few seconds before grasping her hand in his own. "And you? What about you? Does Sindria have you?" he asked and he found himself getting lost in a sea of sparkling emerald green. _'Do I have you?'_

She glanced at their intertwined hands before looking up at him with a smile. "It does….my King." she answered and let the wind carry her words. _'And you have me…..in more ways than one…..' _

XxxOxOxOxxX

"You do not have to force yourself."

Sakura's head snapped to the side at the sound of Prince Hakuryuu's voice and she followed it to find herself looking at the young prince, princess Kougyoku, Alibaba, Aladdin and Morgiana, who were gathered near one of the palace's fountains. The dark blue-haired youth was talking to Alibaba and Sakura quickly but quietly made her way to them.

"It is the truth that the Kou Empire tried to occupy Balbadd and they are still trying to do so." continued the Prince.

Sakura shifted her eyes to Alibaba and watched closely for his reaction. The matter of Balbadd was sensitive to all of them, especially Alibaba and she didn't want to see him do something that he would later regret due to lack of control over his emotions. The blonde boy looked away from Hakuryuu, who continued speaking.

"The governor-general who has been dispatched to lead the second expedition into Balbadd is the First Imperial Prince, Kouen Ren, also known as Entei. He will use Balbadd's insurrection as a stepping stone for conquest."

Sakura's eyes narrowed. _'The First Imperial Prince? If they have dispatched the heir to the Imperial Throne, then things are worse that we thought…..'_ Her worried gaze shifted to Alibaba. The young boy had his eyes closed and was clutching his arm tightly. _'What's wrong with him?'_ she thought as she watched him. He appeared to not even be listening to what the Kou Prince was telling him.

"During Balbadd's insurrection, you lost a dear friend, did you not? Alibaba-san?"

'_Something's wrong….' _Sakura thought in alarm as she picked up her pace. The blonde boy….didn't seem like himself. His eyes were wide and the grip on his arm was becoming tighter as the seconds went by. His teeth were gritted and he didn't even turn to look at Morgiana when she called out his name. Sakura's eyes widened when, suddenly, Alibaba groaned in pain and collapsed. With a short burst of chakra to her feet, she was beside him within seconds and she kneeled beside the boy, calling out his name frantically. "Alibaba! Can you hear me? Answer me, Alibaba!"

Her out-of-thin-air appearance along with the boy's sudden fall elicited gasps of surprise and alarm from the ones around. Aladdin and Morgiana immediately ran to her side. "Sakura-nee-san! What happened? What's wrong with Alibaba?"

"I don't know, Aladdin." she answered, her gaze never leaving the shaking boy on the ground as she passed her glowing hands over his body. Her eyes widened in panic and fear when she saw a frighteningly familiar black substance travelling up his neck at an alarming speed. She focused her healing chakra on that region before glancing at Morgiana over her shoulder. "Morgiana! Find Sinbad!"

"Yes!"

The girl was gone in a flash and Sakura immediately gathered the boy in her arms before leaping on the nearby roof. Memories of what that dark miasma could do flooded her mind and she shuddered at the thought of a repeat of what had happened in Balbadd with Kassim. Only this time, it was Alibaba's face that she saw being deformed as he transformed into that black beast…..She shook her head to get rid of those thoughts. _'No! I won't ever allow that to happen!' _She glanced at the boy in her arms and pushed herself to run faster in the direction of the infirmary….

XxxOxOxOxxX

'_Damn it!' _Sakura cursed inwardly when the black miasma didn't subside under her chakra. She pushed more to her hands making them glow brighter but the results never changed. No matter what she did, the dark substance remained etched on the boy's skin. There was also something wrong with his magoi circulatory system. She had tried healing him the same way she had little Aladdin but she couldn't even approach his magoi, much less make it fuse with her chakra. Something was repelling her. Another presence, or whatever it was, was serving as a shield against any external force, her chakra being one such force. What was also worrying her was the fact that her scar was reacting to the miasma. The feeling was nowhere near the pain she had experienced back in Balbadd but it was still there. It was more of a tingling sensation running down her arm with the scarred area as its source.

The sound of rapid footsteps brought her out of her musings and the shadow that fell over her informed her of Sinbad's arrival. A familiar hand came to rest on her shoulder, though it brought her little comfort.

"What happened?" She could hear the worry in his voice.

"King Sinbad." Alibaba rose from his lying position on the infirmary's bed, despite Sakura's protests. He smiled at the older man, though his smile was a bit tight. "It's ok. My arm just hurts a little-" His face contorted in a mask of pain and Sakura made to put her glowing hand on his shoulder when suddenly, a dark liquid shot from the miasma on his arms along with a cloud of a sick dark fog. Sakura gasped and the pulsating scar under her joint warned her of impending darkness as the fog rose to the air and a pair of glowing crimson eyes stared down at them. As the fog began to clear, the form of a disgustingly familiar man appeared before them and Sakura's hand immediately flew to her weapons pouch.

"What a spineless man." said Ithnan mockingly with a cruel smile on his lips. "But thanks to you, I was able to get past the barrier and enter Sindria."

Sinbad pulled his sword from its sheathe and jumped in the air with every intention of attacking the man. His blade cut clear through the man, covering the purple-haired King in blood. The crimson substance would have bathed them as well had it not been for Aladdin's force field shielding them just in time. But Sakura knew that it was far from over. Ithnan's decapitated body was quickly put back together and his crimson eyes stared at them through the eyeholes of his checked mask.

"Only the Magi noticed what was happening?"

The blood on Sinbad's skin started emanating a dark fog similar to the one from Alibaba's shoulder. "What is this blood?"

"It's too late."Ithnan said. "I have done as our Father ordered and cursed you to death."

Sakura's eyes widened in fear. _'No! Sinbad can't…! He can't…..!'_

"Consider this an invitation from us, first-class singularity, King Sinbad, and King Candidate chosen from Solomon's arrogance, King Alibaba. Become Black Kings and surrender to our Father." Alibaba groaned as another wave of pain hit him. "The curse has attached itself to your magoi flow and will soon turn all of your Rukh black. After that, you will be reborn as a completely different person. In other words you will have fallen into depravity."

A kunai flew past their heads and impaled itself in the man's stomach but some invisible force pushed it out and it fell to the floor with a clang. Sakura glared heatedly at the crimson-eyed man. "Fallen into depravity? What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"You cannot escape it. If you fight it, Solomon's Rukh and the Black Rukh will destroy each other inside your body and you will die." A number of gasps were heard and Sakura felt her breathing hitch as an image of both Alibaba and Sinbad lying cold and unmoving entered her mind. _'Dead…..' _In her desperation, she gathered chakra to her hands and pressed them on Alibaba's shoulder in a futile attempt to reverse the damage. _'I have to do something! I can't let that happen!'_ She pushed harder and fought the tears the prickled at the corners of her eyes. _'They can't die….I can't lose them…..' _

Ithnan laughed cruelly. "You foolish woman. Do you really think that you can stand before our Father's will? I have to admit that your power is extraordinary, but you have turned out to be quite an annoyance. It makes no difference, though. Our Father was right to bring you here and your time will soon come as well. In the end, you will fall to your knees before him. You will be plunged into darkness." He smirked at them. "I will be waiting for you in the darkness of depravity." With those words, he disappeared in a flurry of Black Rukh, leaving them standing there with racing hearts and minds clouded with fear…..

**TBC**

**I did tell you that I would update sooner than usual, didn't I? I hope you liked the chapter. So, Sakura has pretty much admitted (to herself at least) that she has feelings for Sinbad and she is starting to enter a dilemma regarding whether she will ever return to Konoha or not. I know, tough decision. But she is going to have to decide at some point, though it's still a bit early. Ithnan's appearance only managed to cause more trouble for our heroes and he even mentioned something about Al-Thamen's intentions with Sakura, though the real reason behind that will be revealed later. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it. Next chapter's coming up soon so stay tuned. Until then…..READ AND REVIEW!**

**Lots of love!**


	23. Chapter 23

Sakura was almost sure that Sinbad could hear her heart pounding in her chest as she bandaged his torso and arm where Ithnan's blood had left that black stain. She flinched when the man winced as she tied the bandage into a tight knot and she rubbed his bare arm in a soothing manner. She glanced worriedly at the miasma on his face. She had tried healing it but it had only ended in her wasting a large amount of chakra and Sinbad almost commanding her to save her strength.

Seeing the looks on the faces of the people around him, especially Alibaba's, Sinbad turned his attention to them and smiled, though Sakura could see the barely noticeable tight lines around his mouth. "There is no need to worry." he said lightly. "Curses don't exist." Judging by what she had seen up until then, Sakura wasn't so sure about that. "This is a type of magic." he explained.

"Yes." agreed Yamraiha from her place among the other Generals, who were gathered around Sinbad's office. "This black mark is moving because of magic."

"If it's magic, then that means that there must be a way to get rid of it, right?" said Aladdin with a hopeful expression on his young face. For a moment, Sakura dared hope that he was right, that all they had to do was find a way to reverse whatever it was that Ithnan had done with magic. Yamraiha's words and worriedly contemplating expression made her hope turn to ashes in her mouth.

"But I've never seen this kind of magic before. What kind of command is it working under?"

"There must be something we can do." interjected the pink-haired kunoichi and tried to keep her emotions from showing in the tone of her voice.

"Had it been a normal spell, I would have been able to remove it easily." replied the water mage. "However, with complicated magic, only the caster knows how to remove it."

Sakura tensed at those words. The gravity of the situation hit her as she glanced at the bandaged body of Sinbad and the black stain on his face. She was painfully aware of the fact that Ithnan was probably somewhere they could no longer reach him. But even if they could, she was sure that getting him to remove his own magic would be as easy as inhaling broken glass. Feeling her eyes on him, the purple-haired man smiled at her, though it did little to reassure her.

"There is one way." he said and turned to look at the people gathered around him.

"What is it?" asked Alibaba eagerly.

"Even further south than here lies an island of the Toran people. On that island is a dungeon." Gasps rose from Alibaba, Aladdin and Morgiana and Sakura's eyes widened. _'A Dungeon?'_

"It's the 61st dungeon, Zagan, which, if conquered, can heal any wound or illness. The Djinn there could be our saving grace. Would you like to bet on it, Alibaba?"

The answer had never been a more obvious one. "Yes."

Sinbad rose from his seat. "I would like to go with you, but I cannot. Can you go by yourselves?"

The three youths glanced at each other before Morgiana offered an answer. "Why not?"

"If I or anyone from my household tries to pass through a dungeon's gate, we'll simply slip through and nothing will happen. This happened when I made a contract with my seventh Djinn."

'_Seventh Djinn? I knew he had more than one, but seven?' _

"My seventh Djinn said to me, that's enough for you."

"A Metal Vessel user can most likely only gain a certain amount of power." added Jafar.

Alibaba looked up at them with a determined expression on his face. "I understand. We will go ourselves. And we will definitely break this curse!"

Sakura smiled. _'That's my boy….' _She crossed her arms across her chest and walked around Sinbad's office. "Hold your horses, young man."

"Huh? Sakura?"

"You are not going anywhere-"His expression fell at her words. "-without me."

Alibaba stared at her in surprise before smiling at her and shaking his head. "No, Sakura. Not this time."

The woman's eyes widened. "What?"

The blonde prince smiled at her. "I know you only want what's best for us but this is something we must do alone. You have put your life in danger enough times as it is. Especially for me. You won't always be there to protect us. We must learn to survive on our own."

The young medic stared at the boy in wonder and despite the line of protest that rose to her lips, she knew deep down that he was right. Life was hard and one had to be strong enough to deal with it on their own if they wanted to survive. It was a lesson she, herself, had been taught the hard way and she didn't want a repeat of what had happened to her to happen to Alibaba, Aladdin and Morgiana. She felt her heart constrict painfully at the thought of letting them go on their own. _'Is this…..Is this how Kakashi-sensei felt every time we went on missions without him?' _She remembered that they used to make fun of their sensei for overreacting and demanding that they visit him immediately after completing solo missions to make sure that they were alright-she had gotten in trouble with Tsunade one too many times for delaying mission reports in order to visit her grey-haired teacher. Now she understood how he felt, though she wished she hadn't.

"Do I even have a shot at changing your mind?"

"I'm afraid not."

Sakura sighed heavily. "I was afraid you'd say that." She closed her eyes for a few seconds to calm her heart and looked up at him with a small smile, albeit a bit tight. "In that case, Morgiana…" She turned to the red-haired girl. "Please keep an eye on these two for me, will you?"

The girl nodded at her mentor. "Yes!"

"What? Why? Isn't it the man's job to take care of the girl?" protested the blonde prince.

"In your case, the girl can kick your ass so I suggest you don't push your luck." Sakura said with a small chuckle and threw her arms over the three youths' shoulders. "I'll worry less knowing that Morgiana is keeping an eye on you."

"And why is that?"

"Because you, mister, have a unique way of attracting trouble." she said with a wide smile as she ruffled his hair affectionately. "I have worked my ass off to keep your head attached to your shoulders and I don't plan on giving up anytime soon. I might not be coming with you but that doesn't mean that I'll just let you go like that. After all, as far as your rationality is concerned, I have no trust in you whatsoever."

The blonde prince sweat-dropped. "Gee, thank you Sakura….."

"What? You do tend to dive in head-first without thinking." she replied with a giggle and was soon joined by Morgiana and little Aladdin.

"Well, I trust Sakura-nee-san's judgment. She knows what she's talking about and she has proved it many times in the past. " said the blue-haired Magi and smiled widely.

"Please allow me to accompany you!" All heads turned to the young Kou Prince who was watching them with a determined expression on his face.

"I did ask you to learn from those three, but I didn't count on conquering a dungeon." said Sinbad thoughtfully. "It will be a dangerous journey."

"Let him go, Sinbad." The golden-eyed man, as well as the rest of the occupants of the room, turned to Sakura. "Right now, conquering that dungeon is our best bet and correct me if I'm wrong, but I see no other alternative. Let him go. These three are going to need all the help that they can get." the woman said and her emerald eyes bore into his. _'You said yourself that he and Alibaba must get to know each other better. It will also mean that he'll be away from you and Sindria; at least until we find out a bit more about his motives…' _No matter what he said, he was still a Prince of Kou. It would take quite a bit of effort on his part to convince her and make her trust him completely.

Hakuryuu stepped forward and bowed down respectfully before Sakura. "Thank you, my Lady." he said and turned to the purple-haired King. "I understand and I am aware of the risks. I have long wished to conquer a dungeon and have been searching for a Magi to do just that."

Sakura frowned. _'He's been searching for a Magi? But doesn't the Kou Empire have Judar as its Magi? Why didn't he just turn to him?'_ Apparently, Sinbad had the same thoughts.

"I heard that the Magi Judar was in the Kou Empire and that he was more than happy to guide Kou's leaders to a dungeon."

"No. I absolutely do not want to use his power." The boy looked down and an unreadable look crossed his face. His eyes though…Sakura saw sorrow in those mismatched orbs and despite her suspicions, she would give the young prince a chance. She simply hated seeing that expression on another's face. Hakuryuu was just a boy after all. If things had turned out differently, it could have been him that she had found and taken under her wing instead of Alibaba…..

"It doesn't matter right now." the young kunoichi said and walked up to the boy before placing a hand on his shoulder, making the Kou Prince look up at her in surprise. "We are here and Kou is hundreds of miles away. We better focus on the task at hand and leave the rest for later. Conquering that dungeon and finding a cure is our first priority and we must let nothing distract us from that cause. If the young prince wants to go, then let him go."

Sinbad stared at her with contemplating eyes and an assessing look on his face. He trusted Sakura wholeheartedly but he knew her well enough to know that she didn't trust anyone or anything that had to do with Kou after everything that happened in Balbadd all those months ago. She most likely had her reasons for wanting to send the boy with them and they probably involved keeping him away from Sindria but he was sure that, despite not trusting him fully yet, she had seen something in the boy that had made her trust him enough to let him accompany the three youths she had taken under her wing. Should the situation call for it, Sinbad had no doubt that she wouldn't hesitate to protect Hakuryuu just as viciously. Because that was the kind of woman she was. _'A woman worth the world and more…' _

"I see." he said at last. "Very well. You may join them."

Hakuryuu smiled. "Thank you very much!" He turned to the pink-haired woman and bowed once more before offering her a smile that Sakura returned. She turned to the window on her right and let her gaze focus on the endless blue of the sea mingling with the cloudless sky in the horizon, a dangerous glint shining in her emerald eyes.

'_Al-Thamen, Ithnan, Judar or whoever the hell you are….You made a grave mistake hurting the ones I love and I'll be damned if I let you take them away from me….Brace yourself because I'm coming, you son of a bitch…And I'm coming for you…'_

XxxOxOxOxxX

Sakura stood on the docks long after the Sindrian vessel carrying Alibaba, Aladdin, Morgiana and Hakuryuu had disappeared in the distance. She breathed in deeply, allowing the smell of salt and sea water to fill her nostrils. In any other case, the unique aroma of that endless blue would have been comforting and relaxing. Right now, the sea was probably her worst enemy. Because it prevented her from being beside them…..Beside _her_ children…Doubts plagued her as her mind conjured up every possible thing that could go wrong and she breathed out shakily. _'Damn it…' _Her ears caught the sound of approaching footsteps but she didn't need to turn around to know whose they were. She would recognize that particular stride anywhere…..

"I think I told you to rest." she said, though her voice lacked its usual dynamism.

"And I think I told you to stop worrying but you are as close to is as the sun to rising from the West."

She didn't tear her eyes away from the horizon where the sun was setting, bathing the world around them in red and gold and orange. She felt him come to stand beside her, their arms brushing lightly against each other. "How are you holding up?" he asked softly and turned to stare at her face.

Sakura sighed heavily. "Frankly? Not that well. I know I should trust them, Sinbad and I do. I trust them with all my heart. But I can't help but worry about them. Those three…They are _my children_ in all ways but blood. They are a part of me. Watching them go like that on their own was like cutting out a piece of my heart and throwing it to the vultures." She felt the familiar wetness of tears prickling at the corners of her eyes and she desperately tried to blink them away. She didn't want to appear weak in front of him; not any more than she already had….A gentle hand on her shoulder made her look at him.

"You don't have to hide your tears from me, Sakura. You can be strong with everybody else but please, don't hide yourself from me." he spoke softly with a smile that warmed her heart. Sakura stared up at him in wonder, as if she was seeing his for the first time and felt her heart pounding in her chest. She didn't realize that a tear had escaped and was leaving a wet trail as it ran down her face.

Sinbad cupped her cheek and wiped the tear with his thumb before pulling her closer to him so that her face was buried in the side of his chest that wasn't stained black. The woman hugged his waist with one arm and he relished in the feeling of holding her like that. Sakura sighed, breathing in the familiar and comforting scent that was entirely him, entirely Sinbad. She felt her tense muscles relax under his touch as he stoked her hair soothingly and for a moment she felt her worry dissolve.

"I won't, I promise…" she whispered against his chest and tightened her arm around his waist making him smile contently.

Sinbad and Sakura turned their eyes to the setting sun with the sea breeze blowing lightly through their hair. And for a while, as they stood there held in each other's embrace with their hearts beating rhythmically and the melodic sound of the waves reaching their ears, the world seemed to fall into place…

**TBC**

**So, Sakura didn't go to the Dungeon after all. I know that some of you wanted to see her accompany Alibaba, Aladdin, Morgiana and Hakuryuu inside Zagan and I am sorry for disappointing you but I have my reasons for making her stay. Firstly, Sakura going with then wouldn't have worked out for Morgiana. Let's face it, if Sakura had been there she would have definitely interfered and Morgiana wouldn't have activated her Household Vessel. Also, according to the plans I've been making for the ending of this story, Sakura needs to find herself alone with Ithnan at some point in order to finally find out the truth. Obviously, sending her to the dungeon would ruin that. But my most important reason is that scar on her arm. We know that Black Rukh reacts with it and causes her a lot of pain that she can't stop with her chakra, meaning that it hinders her and her abilities greatly. We also know that the amount of Black Rukh released inside Zagan was so tremendous that it might have even killed her. Sending her there wouldn't have ended well. Neither for her nor for the others. And we certainly wouldn't want Sinbad to lose his woman after finding her, would we? **

**Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter and won't hold it against me that I didn't sent her to the Dungeon. Next chapter's coming up soon so stay tuned. Until then…READ AND REVIEW!**

**Lots of love! **


	24. Chapter 24

Sakura shot up from bed drenched in cold sweat and breathing heavily with wide eyes and a pounding head. Her heart was beating at a frenzied rate and she placed a hand over it in a futile attempt to calm it. She pressed her glowing hands to her temples in order to sooth her headache before glancing outside the window near her bed. The sun was shining brightly, the sky was cloudless and everything seemed completely normal. However, she couldn't help but feel that something wasn't right. Her life as a kunoichi had taught her to always trust her instincts and right now her gut was screaming at her that things were about to go downhill.

'_I had that dream…About the fight with Sasori all those years ago…..' _

She threw the covers aside and jumped out of bed before getting dressed as fast as she could. She threw all her weapons in her pouch and adjusted it on her waist before sprinting out of her room. It was never a good sign when she had that dream…

'_I need to find Sinbad…Something's terribly wrong…..'_

XxxOxOxOxxX

She found the three of them, Sinbad, Jafar and Yamraiha, in the blue-haired mage's lab. All eyes turned to her as she entered the room and Sinbad offered her a small smile. However, it quickly faded when he saw the expression on her face. He quickly covered the distance separating them and took her hand in his.

"Sakura? What's wrong?"

She sighed deeply and glanced at him before shifting her eyes to the window. "I'm not sure Sinbad but…..But I woke up with a strange feeling and I don't like it."

The purple-haired man could tell that she was on edge. Whatever this feeling was, it had definitely upset her and he hated seeing her so…..uncertain. Sinbad gave her hand a light squeeze and smiled at her charmingly. "Don't worry. I'm sure it's just some pent up stress."

The pink-haired woman sighed. "I hope you're right." The expression on her face told him that she wasn't so convinced. She released his hand and he immediately felt the lack of her warmth. Sakura turned to Yamraiha and offered the blue-haired mage a small smile.

"Any news from Alibaba and the others?" she asked, hoping against hope that she would hear something positive to appease her worries.

The young water mage smiled at the pink-haired medic and showed her a familiar spell that Sakura recognized as Clairvoyance Magic. She breathed a sigh of relief as she watched the figures of Alibaba, Mogiana, Aladdin and Prince Hakuryuu running down a flight of stairs. They were far away from her but at least they were alive. Knowing that they were unhurt and together offered her some comfort.

"How is the dungeon capturing going?" asked Sinbad while coming to stand beside the pink-haired medic.

"Smoothly." answered the blue-haired mage. "There was a point when they were split into two groups but now they are reunited and are continuing as a team."

'_That's good.'_ thought Sakura. _'They have more chances of survival if they stay together.'_ Her mind briefly flew to her Genin days with Team 7 and Kakashi's bell test.

"I see."

Jafar smiled. "I was a little concerned, but it seems like Alibaba and Hakuryuu were able to become friends."

"I hope that's the case." said Sinbad and Sakura had to agree with him. Working together was one thing but developing mutual trust was something else entirely. The purple-haired King turned to Yahraiha. "Can't you be any more specific?"

Yamraiha smiled apologetically. "Unfortunately not. If any of them were to die, their corresponding water figure would also disappear. Until then, all I can say is that they are alive."

"Well, that's enough for now. As long as they are alive-" Sakura began to say but froze and the blood drained from her face when, suddenly, all water figures disappeared. Sinbad and Jafar became instantly alarmed and Yamraiha shot up from her seat.

"No…" Sakura managed to whisper. "They couldn't have….."

"No!" said the young mage through girted teeth. "No! I can't hold it!" Bright light exploded above their heads and the sound of a crystal shattering reached their ears. Judging by the panicked expression on Sinbad's face, Sakura knew that things had just taken a turn for the worse. For the umpteenth time, she cursed her instincts for being right. She followed the two men as they left the room and headed outside. What she saw made her heart stop.

"Impossible!" exclaimed Jafar, almost not believing what he was seeing.

"Yamraiha's barrier's been broken?" said Sinbad and for the first time since meeting him, the pink-haired woman saw panic and the smallest amount of fear flash through his eyes. Fear for his country and his people and those who depended on him to ensure their protection.

Sakura dug her nails in the flesh of her hand, hoping that this all was just a bad dream; a bad dream that she would soon wake up from to find that it was another normal day in Sindria with Alibabba, Morgiana and little Aladdin waiting for her to have breakfast and Sinbad smiling at her in that particular way that made her heart flutter. But it wasn't a dream. It was a grim reality that soon turned into the worst nightmare when she saw the figure floating high above their heads while Yamraiha's protective barrier continued to melt.

Sinbad's eyes widened in a way that she had never seen on him before. "Judar!"

Jafar turned to a couple of guards with a grim face and his mouth set in a hard line. "This is a first class emergency. Sound the alarm! Deploy the imperial guards to the crystal plaza. "

"Yes sir!"

The Dark Magi calmly landed in the middle of a circle of guards who were pointing the sharp ends of lances at him.

"What's the matter?" he said mockingly and the mere sound of his voice made Sakura's skin crawl. "Such scary faces."

"You…." gritted out Jafar as bright light engulfed him. "Household vessel: Bararaq Sei!" His two blades shot from his hands with frightening speed and Sakura was sure that, had it been anyone else in the Magi's place, they would have hacked him to pieces. But this was no ordinary opponent and Sakura hated to admit that it didn't surprise her at all when Judar easily deflected the assault and returned it with a typhoon-like attack of his own. She barely managed to shoot forward with a burst of chakra to her feet and push her white-haired friend out of the way.

"Oh, it's you again." said Judar and his piercing crimson eyes focused on her. "I see that you survived the whole Balbadd ordeal. Good thing that you did. I haven't gotten the chance to have a taste of you yet." He smirked at her cruelly. "But for now, move out of the way small fries. I want Sinbad."

Sakura growled threateningly and took out a kunai, her hands glowing brightly with green chakra. The ground cracked under her feet as she sent chakra throughout her body, preparing every single one of her muscles to attack. She took a step forward and was just about to launch herself at the dark-haired male with every intention of putting him out of his misery once and for all when a voice stopped her.

"Please, Sakura, step back." She glanced at the purple-haired male over her shoulder. His face was stern and his eyes held none of their usual warmth. He nodded curtly at her, silently telling her that he had things under control-as much as he could, given the situation. Reluctantly, she regained her position beside Jafar but didn't release her tight grip on her kunai and glared heatedly at the Magi.

Sinbad turned to the dark-haired male. "Why are you here Judar?"

"You look terrible, Sinbad." he said with feigned concern in his voice. "What's that thing on your face?"

"I'm sure you didn't come here to talk about my face."

Judar smiled. "You are always so cold." Black Rukh swirled around him. "Hey, Sinbad. What do you think of him?"

"Who's 'him'?"

"Aladdin. Isn't it weird that another Magi exists in this world?"

At the mention of the blue-haired boy Sakura noticeably tensed. '_If he dares lay a finger on little Aladdin…..on any of them, I'll tear him apart and feed his remains to the vultures.' _

"There have never been more than three Magi at once." continued Judar. "You know this. It's written in history. It's always been three Magi who chose the King, built the country and created the world. Our era was like that. First, there's me." he said pointing to himself. "Then there's that hag in Reim. And finally, there's that guy who travels around the world creating dungeons before wandering off to who-knows-where. That should be all of us. If another Magi has appeared, it means one of us died. But I haven't heard of the other two dying! So why is he here? This is the first time in history there's ever been a fourth Magi, and it's him, Aladdin. And he has some mysterious power that even I don't know about. He used it last time."

Memories of Balbadd flashed through Sakura's mind. Images of that star on little Aladdin's forehead and whatever it was that it had done to Judar passed before her eyes, making her remember warm, bright light and the Dark Magi collapsing at their feet.

"Ever since then, the bigwigs at the Organization have done nothing but lust after it."

The pink-haired medic's eyes widened in panic. _'No! There are after him!' _She clenched her fists tightly and greeted her teeth in anger. _'I won't let them touch him….They'll have to go through me first and when I'm done with them…..' _

"I was thinking….." said Judar. "Maybe you're in the same boat."

Sinbad glared at him. "What are you trying to say?"

"Don't play dumb. What are you planning? What do you have in store for that kid?"

Sakura couldn't help but turn her emerald gaze to the purple-haired man. It would be a terrible lie to say that she hadn't been wondering about that herself. Her eyes searched his own for an answer but his unreadable expression gave nothing away.

"It's none of your business." Answered the King of Sindria coldly with eyes of steel and his mouth set in a hard line. Sakura let her gaze linger on him for another few seconds before turning her attention to the Magi once more. _'One day I'll get all the answers out of you, Sinbad. One way or another, I will. But for now…..'_ Her eyes narrowed dangerously. _'I have other problems to deal with…..' _

"So cold. I feel so lonely. I wanted to team up with you." He said and Sakura couldn't help the small gasp that escaped her lips. '_He wanted…..what?'_

"You are part of the Organization. Have you forgotten what you did to us in Partevia?" answered Sinbad as coldly as before. The pink-haired woman glanced around when she heard the low growls emitting from the guards and saw their expressions turn to hatred.

"Don't be like that, Sinbad. I….." He balled his fists at his sides and his shoulders began shaking making the King's expression change to surprise. "I am a victim of Al-Thamen too!" he exclaimed, his face being a mask of remorse and pain as tears appeared at the corners of his eyes, earning several gasps from the people gathered around, Sinbad and Jafar included. Sakura, on the other hand, tightened her grip on her kunai and narrowed her eyes. _'What is this bastard trying to do?' _

"That Magi kid showed me my past. I was chosen by the Rukh. I was born in a small village in the east. But the Organization made quick work of my parents." He hung his head, his dark hair falling over his eyes. "And I, not understanding anything, have been used as their Magi ever since. Ever since I was a baby!" His voice was shaking and his shoulders were trembling with his long braid swaying behind him. "But still, it's all my fault? I wanted to live a normal life too!" Sakura snarled, feeling disgusted at the way he even had tears in his eyes. _'The nerve of this guy…..'_ "But no! Am I the bad one? Tell me, Sinbad!" He fell to his knees and started sobbing in his hands.

"Judar….." Sinbad stared at the young male with wide eyes and even a bit of pity as he took a step towards him. However, he stopped in his tracks when the crimson-eyed man burst out laughing.

"I can't do it!" said Judar between laughs. "Did you really feel bad for me? You really do have a good heart!"

Sakura growled threateningly, feeling the chakra in her body spike. _'He does have a good heart, you son of a bitch and I'm going to rip yours out of your chest….' _Her fist began to glow green.

"Judar!" yelled out Sinad in anger.

"Don't get me wrong. What I just told you was the truth. But I don't really care one way or another. I'll just keep doing whatever I want."

"Did you come here all the way from Kou just to mock me? I really appreciate that." said Sinbad. "But if you're done, how about you enjoy our entertainment for a change?"

Sakura glanced around, seeing all of the Eight Generals gathered around with their weapons at hand ready to follow their King's orders. She turned her eyes to the dark-haired male, her own chakra blazing around her fist.

Judar smiled. "Oh, silly me, I forgot to tell you why I am here. My bosses over at the Organization want your head on a silver platter. And it's all your fault, Sinbad. It's because you're trying to get those kids involved. That's why they are all angry. Also, you have that woman by your side." He said pointing his want at Sakura. "I don't know what they want with her and frankly, I don't really care. All I know is that they had plans for her and you ruined them by making her yours before they had the chance to make her theirs."

"Judar! Leave her out of this!"

"I doesn't matter now Sinbad. They have their sights set on you. And they are not going to sneak around this time. They are going to come knocking on your door. In other words….." he paused. "….a war."

**TBC**

***Le Gasp!* Judar's back, people! And he knows that the Organization has plans for Sakura, though he doesn't know exactly what. So, the final countdown has begun. The beginning of the end! There is going to be a bit more JudarXSaku interaction-if you can really call it that-but I don't want to give too much away. Also, there was no real SinXSaku scene in this chapter but there is definitely going to be one in the next one. Who knows? I might even throw a bit of drama in the mix! *wink* Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Next one's coming up soon so stay tuned! Until then…..READ AND REVIEW!**

**Lots of love! **


	25. Chapter 25

"They are going to come knocking on your door. In other words….." Judar paused. "….a war."

Several gasps were heard at his words and Sakura shifted her worried gaze to Sinbad. She felt her stomach drop at the sight of fear flashing through his eyes. It would be a lie to say that she wasn't feeling it too. The Organization….They were powerful and had the means and the resources to organize a devastating attack. Sindria was in grave danger and they both knew that. The pink-haired kunoichi didn't know much about the Organization's militaristic power so she couldn't determine Sindria's chances of winning. But even if they came out victorious, the damage and the casualties would be catastrophic and it would take a really long time for Sindria to recover and stand back on its feet.

"And I bet you thought those kids would be safe if you sent them to Zagan?" he asked while cackling cruelly. Sakura immediately tensed, her muscles feeling as if they would tear from all the tension as realization hit her. "But unfortunately for you…" Judar's eyes were focused on Sinbad before they shifted to her, his lips curling up in a smirk. "Ah, this one has figured it out already!"

All eyes shifted to her and she was painfully aware of their weight on her shoulders. "The Organization…" she whispered fearfully. "They have sent someone to the dungeon, haven't they?" The blood froze in her veins and for a moment all she could hear was the frantic beating of her heart. _'They have sent someone as well…And my little ones are all alone with no one to help them and no way of escaping….'_ It was the first time in a very long time that she wanted to fall to her knees and weep. But she couldn't bring herself to cry and no matter how hard she tried her eyes remained dry.

"I told you." said Judar with a smirk. "They are taking this very seriously." His penetrating crimson eyes clashed with Sinbad's golden stare. "You know, Sinbad. I really wanted to team up with you. It would have been so much fun to conquer the world together." He chuckled. "But recently, I have come to think of something else. It might even be more fun to kill someone as powerful as you are."

Sakura growled threateningly. _'I dare you to try, you son of a bitch…' _

"Oh, is that so? Then why don't you get started?" answered Sinbad and the pink-haired kunoichi took a bit of comfort in the fact that at least some of his usual confidence was back.

Judar burst out laughing. "Hey, not so fast! I have other stuff to do, you know. All I was supposed to do was destroy the barrier around this country."

"What?"

"Got it, Sinbad? You better not get killed by one of the old geezers. You better wait until my Kou Empire comes for you! Right now the Kou Empire is amazing! They have five dungeon capturers. First Princess, Hakuei Ren. Eighth Princess, Kougyoku Ren. And the Princes, Kouha Ren, Koumei Ren and Kouen Ren. Kouen's the best of them all. If we were to team up, the eastern half of the continent would fall to us in a second. And after that…Wanna guess who's next?" His eyes were evil and his smile cruel as he pointed a finger at Sinbad. "Sindria."

Something inside Sakura snapped. Be it the grief of knowing that her children were in the most dangerous situation they would ever find themselves in or the fact that the Dark Magi was openly promising death to this place she had grown to love as her home. Whatever it was, she felt boiling anger curse through her veins, her fear and desperation turning into rage, fuelling her hatred for Judar, Al-Thamen and all those allied with them.

A ferocious growl ripping from her throat, she pushed chakra to her feet making the ground crack under the sheer force of it. She lunged at the dark-haired Magi, the chakra around her clenched fist blazing like hellfire as were her eyes. She vaguely heard Sinbad shouting out her name and a voice at the back of her head told her that this wouldn't change anything. Alibaba, Aladdin and Morgiana would still be all alone in Zagan and the ominous cloud of war would still be hanging above their heads. But in the state she was in she could not listen to anyone. All she could see was the faces of her children scared and alone and desperate as they faced whoever Al-Thamen had sent after them. It was enough to give her the strength to tear the whole of the Kou Empire apart if she had to.

Her glowing fist collided with his force field in a resounding clash. The amount of energy released made the ground around the two crack as dust and debris flew high. Her green chakra battled with his energy, causing sparks to fly and the electricity in the air to increase tenfold, almost resembling lightning. Her blazing emerald eyes clashed with his crimson orbs and she took satisfaction in the fact that he put at least some effort in keeping his protective field stable around him. The sound of cracking reached her ears and she pushed harder when she saw the cracks appearing on his force field under her fist. But if she had seen them, then he had seen them too.

Sakura saw him make a sweep with his wand and she back-flipped, landing expertly on her feet just in time to avoid his attack. She would have liked it much better if her punch had cracked his jaw instead of his force field but she took satisfaction in the fact that she had challenged him enough to make him attack her like that.

Judar stared at her with unreadable eyes before smirking. "Who would have thought? You don't look like much but you do have some power." He chuckled. "Promise me you won't die as well! It is going to be so much fun killing you myself!" he said cheerily before pinning her with his crimson stare. "But it makes no difference. My Kou Empire will destroy Sindria!"

The Eight Generals tensed, each one of them falling into offensive stances, ready for battle if it came down to it. Sakura growled, chakra already gathering around her fist, and she was about to lunge a second attack when a voice stopped her.

"What do you mean destroy Sindria, Judar?" All eyes turned to Princess Kougyoku, who had a worried and almost fearful expression on her face as she stared at Kou's Magi.

"We are going to war." replied the young man. "Well, for now the Organization's going to be the one fighting Sindria, not Kou. That's why you need to come back now Kougyoku. You probably ran away because you lost your standing after that mistake in Balbadd, right?"

The young woman looked down, with an embarrassed blush on her cheeks.

"I'll make you a general." offered the Dark Magi and extended his hand at her. "Didn't you really want to be a warrior and fight for your country?"

The red-haired princess stared at Judar before shifting her eyes to Sinbad, whose face reflected the gravity of the situation.

"What's the matter, Kougyoku?" asked the dark-haired male before looking away when the princess didn't offer an answer. "Whatever. Anyway, what I wanted to say was don't die until I get to kill you, Sinbad. You too, wench." he said, his eyes shifting to Sakura. "Cya later!" he yelled and waved at them as he floated away, leaving them like that to stare at his retreating form.

"Sin, are you going to just let him leave like that?" questioned Jafar.

"Yes. Now's not the time to pick a fight with him. That Eight Generals are to gather at the Aries Tower. We are going to hold an emergency war council."

Jafar sighed before turning to the guards. "Sound a second-level alarm throughout the island. Call a meeting of all battle troops that report directly to the Eight Generals."

"Yes sir!"

As the guards left, running in all directions to carry out the orders given, Sinbad turned to the pink-haired woman, who was standing alone in the middle of the courtyard, staring at her feet silently. He approached her almost carefully and frowned when she made no move to acknowledge him when he came to stand beside her. For a moment, he stared at her face and the way it seemed as if it was made of stone almost scared him.

"Sakura? Are you-"

She abruptly lifted a finger to silence him without looking at him. "Don't talk to me. Not now, Sinbad."

His heart constricted painfully at how emotionless her voice sounded and at the way she refused to even glance at him. He needed to see her eyes. He _needed_ it…

"Forgive me, Sakura." Sinbad said remorsefully. "I thought that I was protecting them. Please forgive me." He already had enough weight on his shoulders. But knowing that she resented him…..

Sakura chuckled and it sounded frighteningly humorless. "I'm not mad at you, Sinbad. I know that you never meant for any of this to happen. It is myself I am mad at." Her shoulders started shaking from all the tension. "I shouldn't have listened to them. I should have gone with them. Who knows what could have befallen them? Even as we speak, they might be….." She couldn't bear to finish that sentence. The mere thought that Alibaba, Aladdin and Morgiana were hurt and she wasn't there to protect them was painful.

"Oh, Sakura…" Sinbad immediately gathered her in his embrace and secured his arms around her protectively.

The woman clutched the front of his robes tightly and buried her face in his chest as the tears that she so desperately wanted to shed began to leak from her eyes. "Sinbad…." she sobbed and he almost winced at how broken his name sounded on her tongue. "If anything happens to them, I'll never be able to forgive myself….."

"Everything's going to be fine, you'll see. We've all been through a lot and we have always managed to pull through." he comforted her, gently stroking her hair. "Those three are strong and when they are together no one can stand in their way. I'm sure that Alibaba, Aladdin and Morgiana would hate to see you like this, don't you think?" He pulled back from the embrace just enough to stare down at her. His lips curled up into a soft smile and he leaned in, placing a small but meaningful kiss in the middle of her forehead. His lips lingered on her skin a moment longer before pulling back and she stared up at him with something akin to amazement in her eyes. _'The things this man can do to me…..' _His words echoed in her mind and she looked away, almost in shame. _'He's right…Even for a moment, I lost my faith in them and that is unforgivable. Alibaba, Aladdin and Morgiana are going to be fine. They have to…And I am going to make sure that when they come back, there won't even be a trace of all those wishing to harm them and Sindria_…' With newfound light shining in her eyes, she untangled herself from his arms and stepped back before bowing curtly. Her face was a mask of determination and she stood with her back straight. Without another word, she turned around and began heading to the council room.

Sinbad smiled. Sakura was back….

XxxOxOxOxxX

"So, it's impossible to repair the hole in the barrier with any sort of haste, right?"

"Yes, even if we mobilize the magicians from the Black Libra Tower, I believe we would need ten days to make the barrier as strong as it was before."

Sakura frowned at Yamraiha's answer. _'This is bad…..' _

"I see." replied Sinbad thoughtfully. "All right, let's forget about the barrier." he said, earning gasps from all those present in the council room.

"But Sinbad!" protested Sakura. "With the barrier breached, Sindria is left vulnerable and open to any attack!"

"I know, Sakura. Let's have Yamraiha and the other magicians join our combat forces instead. It'll be a direct fight." He stood up from his seat. "I might be a king now but I'll always be a dungeon capturer at heart. I'd rather fight my way through this ordeal with my own two hands instead of sitting back and defending. Will you come with me?"

Sinbad smiled when all of the Eight Generals bowed down before him, showing their loyalty not only to him but to Sindria as well. His eyes shifted to the pink-haired woman standing a few feet away. She stood unmoving and for all he was worth, he couldn't read her face. No matter how much he wanted her by his side, he couldn't and wouldn't force her to take part in a whole new war. She had already done enough for them in Balbadd and had helped him in more ways than one since her arrival in Sindria. If he wanted to be completely honest, he would feel much better knowing that she was as far away from Judar and Al-Thamen as possible. She had suffered in their hands and it would be a cold day in hell before he allowed anything like that to happen again.

Sakura could feel the weight of several pairs of eyes on her shoulders as she stared at the golden-eyed man, her face impassive. Her eyes clashed with his and for a while their gazes locked. A smile split her face and she shook her head before snorting, earning questioning glances from the people present.

"You know, Sinbad, for a man who has accomplished so much, you sure are slow." she said, her smile widening at his startled expression. "Remember that night when you spoke with Prince Hakuryuu? You asked me something that night. Today is the day I give you my final answer." Her face immediately grew serious as she took out a kunai and held it tightly in front of her with both hands balled around its hilt, its sharp tip pointing down. She fell to one knee and bowed her head. "I belong to Sindria now. I am yours, my King." she said and there was no doubt about the sincerity in her voice.

Sinbad stared at her kneeling form with his heart beating in his chest before a smile split his lips. _'She belongs here now…' _The thought made his heart swell with joy and appeased one of his greatest fears. She had finally reached a decision. She would stay. And she would stay with him. _'I'm yours…..' _Her words echoed in his head and he found himself wishing that she was his in more ways than one.

"Now, why don't you stop asking stupid questions and get down to what we have to do?" said Sakura as she raised her head and stared at him with glinting emerald eyes. She had spent quite some time away from active shinobi duty-sparring with the Generals and training on her own didn't really count-and her whole body was itching for a good fight. Despite everything, she would always be a kunoichi at heart….

Sinbad chuckled. "Unfortunately, I am still cursed. I very well may have to ask all of you to work harder than usual. I leave it to you."

"Yes sir!" a chorus of voices responded, only this time Sakura's voice stood out among the others…

XxxOxOxOxxX

The walls of the palace echoed with the sound of hurrying footsteps as guards-both men and women-ran around the place, carrying out orders and preparing for the impending battle. Many of them saluted her as she walked down a familiar hallway, heading to Sinbad's office with a few fresh bandages held in her hands. She had already helped Jafar with organizing the troops but she would have to rewrap Sinbad's black stain before heading off to fight.

She reached his door and knowing that he was alone as all of the Eight Generals were busy with their duties, she turned the doorknob and took a few steps inside the room.

"Sinbad, I've brought some fresh banda-" Words failed her and her eyes widened at the sight of Princess Kougyoku and Sinbad on their knees with her hands held tenderly in his.

"I do not wish to see you hurt, Princess." she heard him say and she felt her heart shatter at how gentle his voice sounded as he spoke to the young red-haired woman. She took a few unstable steps back with every intention of just getting out the door and getting as far away as possible. However, luck wasn't on her side. For as she was about to leave the room, her foot collided with the wood of the door, making her suck in a breath and tighten her grip on the bandages in her hands.

Sinbad and Kougyoku's heads snapped up at the disturbance and the young princess gasped at the sight of the woman who had defied her and fought against her in Balbadd. Sinbad's eyes widened and he instinctively dropped the princess's hands.

"Forgive me for interrupting. I'll take my leave." Her voice was polite and reserved as it always was when they were in the presence of someone who wasn't one of their trusted friends. However, what scared him was the look in her eyes. Those emerald irises that could make his heart race just by glancing at him were now cold and unapproachable.

"Sakura, wait-"

The woman slammed the door shut behind her, not noticing the bandage roll that fell on the floor of Sinbad's office a split second before she left the room. She kept her head high and her stride steady and proud as always as she walked towards the palace's front yard where Masrur and Jafar were waiting for her to sort out a couple last-minute details. She tried to keep her mind blank but no matter how hard she tried, the image of Sinbad and that woman's joined hands always came back.

'_I'm yours…..'_ The words that she had spoken to him not two hours earlier echoed in her mind and she chuckled humorlessly. _'You are his, Sakura, but he was never yours…' _She sighed deeply, wishing that she could pour everything weighting on her heart in that simple breath and finally be free of them. _'What kind of a kunoichi are you? Get a grip on yourself.'_ she berated herself. _'Alibaba, Aladdin and Morgiana need you to be strong and Jafar, Masrur and the whole of Sindria rely on you to go out there and give it everything you've got.' _She wouldn't allow her emotions to get in the way of what she had to do. Not this time….

She hardened her resolve and steeled her will. She had a job to do and she would do it the best way she knew how. She would deal with all these feelings later, when she would have time to herself and there would be no Al-Thamen or Judar or…Sinbad to distract her.

Sakura the woman was dead. All hail Sakura the kunoichi.

But even as she thought that, she could hear her heart weeping….

**TBC **

**Alright! Chapter 25 is up! And what do you know? Right on my birthday too! There was a bit more JudarXSakura interaction in this chapter, though it probably wasn't the kind some of you wanted. But I really couldn't do anything more about that. Not in this story, at least! Who knows? I might consider writing a multi-chapter JudarXSakura crossover after I am done with this one and "Prayer in the Wind". It isn't going to be easy-let's face it, Judar simply isn't the lovey-dovey/romance kind of guy. But I've always loved a good challenge! After all, we do have to quench the thirst for JudarXSakura goodness, don't we? As far as the SakuraXSinbadXKougyoku scene is concerned…Well, I did say I would add a bit of drama, didn't I? I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Next one's coming up soon so stay tuned! Until then...READ AND REVIEW!**

**Lots of love! **


	26. Chapter 26

Sakura's eyes shot open and she shifted her gaze towards the direction of the sea. "They're here." she said and Yamraiha was quick to confirm it with a sharp nod of her head.

"This country is a fortress of freedom that belongs to me and my people." The pink-haired woman heard Sinbad say but she didn't turn around to face him. She couldn't meet his eyes. Not now…..Her eyes remained focused ahead, expecting the enemy to appear any minute now. She could feel them; them and the darkness they carried with them. _'Three people…And something else….'_ It was that something else that worried her the most. It gave off a strange aura, as if it had no physical form. _'That's the problem….If it has no physical form, how am I going to kill it?'_ The feeling was frighteningly familiar and it threw her back in time, many months ago. An image of herself shackled to that altar flashed through her mind.

"I will allow no one, no matter who they are, to take that freedom away from us." continued Sinbad as the Eight Generals and his soldiers stood still, listening carefully and drawing courage from their King's words. The golden-eyed man unsheathed his sword and raised it high. "Imperial forces of Sindria, in the name of Sinbad, I order you to fight!"

Sakura clenched her fists. It was time….

XxxOxOxOxxX

_Flashback_

"_You are aware of your appointed positions." said Sinbad with a serious expression as he stared at the faces of his Generals, who nodded. "You know what you have to do. Protect Sindria and the citizens. Eight Generals, head out!" _

"_Yes sir!" _

_Sakura turned around swiftly without another word, clearly intending to follow the Eight Generals, when a voice stopped her._

"_Sakura, wait." _

_She stopped dead in her tracks and took a couple of seconds to breathe deeply before turning around to face him. She bowed her head curtly to show that she was listening but other than that remained silent. _

"_I want you to stay here." he said, making her eyes widen._

"_What?" she asked incredulously, almost thinking that her ears were playing tricks on her. _

"_I want you to stay away from the battlefield."_

"_You cannot be serious…."_

"_I am." he replied, and from the look in his eyes, she knew that he meant every word. "The Organization is targeting you. I can't let you go out there. You'll be safer here." _

_Sakura hung her head so that her hair was covering her eyes. "Is that so?" When she looked up at him her irises were blazing like fire. "So, you want me to stay back when everyone else is out there sacrificing themselves? When Alibaba and the others are inside that dungeon risking their lives?" She clenched her fists and gritted her teeth. "That's insulting…" _

"_For Solomon's sake, Sakura, for once in your life listen to me-"_

"_No, you listen to me." she cut him off, not even caring that she was drawing the attention of the guards that remained in the courtyard. "I was born and raised a warrior and I intend to die one. I've never walked away from a fight and I sure as hell won't be starting now, especially when people I care about are already out there fighting. Us, shinobi…We walk hand in hand with death. I've lived through war after war and I've seen friends and comrades fall. Some of them died in my arms…I am not afraid to die and if I am to perish here, then I will fall honorably. With fire in my heart and the wind at my back….." She swiftly turned around so that her back was facing him, missing the look of desperation that crossed his face at hearing her talk so easily about death. She had only managed to take a couple of steps when she was turned around by a pair of arms and crushed to an oh-so-familiar chest. _

_She immediately made a move to pull back but the man only tightened his hold on her. "Let me go, Sin-"_

"_Damn it, Sakura! Don't you understand? I don't want to have to live through your death!" _

_Her eyes widened at those words and for the first time in a long while, she was at a loss of what to say or do. Her mind was telling her to push him away, turn around and leave. An image of him holding Kougyoku's hands flashed through her mind and she almost obeyed what her mind was commanding her to do. But her heart…..Her heart was beating fast in her chest and was telling her to hold on to him. It was telling her that he was there with her, that he cared about her and wanted her by his side. Was her heart so weak that it prevented her from doing what she had to do? Perhaps it was the other way around. Perhaps her heart was in fact so strong that she could do nothing but follow it. Whatever the case, her heart had always been the one governing her actions….. Slowly she secured her arms around his waist and tightened her hold on him, almost desperately. But no matter how much she wanted to just stay there, held protectively in his embrace, she knew that she was out of time. The battlefield was waiting for her._

"_Sinbad….I must go. It is time." Sakura pulled back and stared up at the man, who immediately took hold of both her hands in his own. _

"_Please, Sakura…..come back….."_

_She smiled at him softly and stepped back, her hands falling from his grip. "I will, my King….." she responded and bowed. "Farewell, Sinbad." She turned around and with a small burst of chakra to her feet, sped off in the direction Drakon had gone off to. _

'_I will come back…Dead or alive….' _

_End of Flashback_

Sakura narrowed her emerald eyes as she watched those flying black creatures approaching Sindria. They were armed, from what she could see, and they were advancing with an air of blood-thirsty need. She tightened her Konoha headband around her hair as she stood on the cliff next to Drakon. It was clear to her that she wouldn't be leaving Sindria. And while the thought that she would never see her friends again was depressing, deep down, she knew that she was doing the right thing. She was following her heart and for once in her life she would do what her heart was telling her without regrets. Alibaba, Aladdin, Morgiana, Jafar, Masrur…..Sinbad…..How could she leave them behind? They needed her. Or perhaps she needed them more….Despite everything, she would always be a Leaf shinobi at heart and the familiar weight of the metal plate with the engraved leaf symbol was comforting. At least, she would have something of Konoha on her if she died here…... '_Forgive me Naruto, but you must go on without me….The only thing I regret is that I won't get to see you achieve your dream…._' Konoha would always come first in her heart and she would always remember her friends fondly but Sindria was her home now. And it needed her. Blazing emerald eyes followed the black creatures as they came closer and closer. _'Just a little more…..' _

"The Eight Generals have taken positions." Drakon informed her and the woman nodded at him before turning her head in the direction of their enemy. "Archers!" she shouted and the sound of multiple stings being pulled reached her ears. "Nock….Draw…..Loose!" A barrage of arrows was released, hitting target after target as the dark, demon-like creatures disappeared in flurries of dust and Black Rukh.

"First squadron, retreat! Second squadron, third squadron, forward! Fire!"

Sakura watched their opponents carefully as Drakon commanded the release of another rain of feathered arrows. She narrowed her eyes. _'Something's not right…..These can't be their attacking forces. They don't require any particular effort to kill and even their numbers are smaller than we expected. This is almost too easy…And that feeling from before is getting stronger….' _She sent chakra to her eyes and focused her gaze on the sea, behind the attacking creatures. _'W-What is that thing?'_ she though with panic when she finally saw a malevolent dark mass advancing on Sindria with alarming speed from all sides. In the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a familiar white bird.

Her eyes flashed. _'That's Pisti!'_ A large number of sea serpents rose from the waves under the petite General and immediately headed towards that dark mass. For a moment, Sakura dared hope that the sea creatures would do some damage, that those huge jaws would yield some results. However, her hopes were crushed a moment later. She watched in morbid fascination and growing fear as the huge serpents dove in that malevolent substance only to resurface as nothing but bones and burnt muscle. _'Gods help us….If that thing reaches Sindria, we are done for!'_ She gritted her teeth. _'How do you defeat something you can't touch?' _She couldn't get close to that thing, unless she wanted to be reduced to a melted heap on the ground, but even if she could use her strength, it didn't have a solid enough form for her to shatter it. _'We must find a way to intercept it! But how? Damn it!'_ Her hand formed a familiar seal and four clones immediately appeared beside her. She was thankful that Drakon, despite his surprise, didn't ask her to explain. She turned to her copies.

"You two, west. The other two, east. Go around the island as fast as you can. I want to know how far this thing has spread. Do not engage in battle unless absolutely necessary." The clones nodded curtly before disappearing in the trees, each pair heading where it was supposed to. She turned her attention to the sea and looked up to see Yamraiha fighting an old man in a floating wheelchair with a number of strange black spheres flying around him. From what the pink-haired woman could see, the water mage was having a difficult time. _'Damn it…..I can't help her now. They're too high up for my jutsus to be of any use.' _She was broken out of her thoughts by the sound of screaming and she looked down to see a couple of unlucky guards that were stationed closer to the shore that was not protected by Yamraiha's barrier get swallowed by the black mass. She had come across her fair share of horrid sights during the years of the war but seeing the skin and flesh and muscle melting off a man's bones was something else entirely.

The black mass advanced without stopping, swallowing everything outside the barrier in its wake. It turned rocks to dust and reduced those black monsters that were unlucky enough to fall into it to nothing but bones and empty carcasses.

"Help!"

Sakura's eyes snapped to the side and they widened when she saw one of the guards trapped between a rock and the deadly substance. Without wasting another second, she jumped from the cliff and slid down the slope, reaching the unfortunate man just in time to get him out of the way, barely missing the black mass. She took the man to safety before regaining her position beside Drakon who had jumped to lower ground.

"Get out of the way!" he shouted at the archers and got in front of them before a stream of fire spouted from his jaws. A ray of hope flickered in Sakura at the sight of that black mass receding, even if it was for a minute. It wasn't much but it was _something_.

"Troops! Retreat until you reach the barrier!" ordered Drakon before releasing another breath of fire. Sakura formed a seal and half a dozen clones appeared on either side of her, awaiting orders.

"Circle the island. Use fire jutsu to hinder this thing as long as you can and, for God's sake, do not have any form of contact with it!"

"Hai!"

As the clones disappeared, she turned to the black mass once more and gritted her teeth. _'High ranking techniques require a large amount of chakra. On the other hand, basic jutsus won't have much of an effect and with the turn things have taken…..I have no other choice….' _Her fingers flew through the hand seals and a familiar purple diamond appeared in the middle of her forehead.

"Katon: Gouka Hataka no Jutsu!" As her hands clapped into the Ram seal, a wave of destructive fire flew from her, engulfing the black mass in its wake, spreading out in a circle. It was a dangerous technique as it required much chakra and could sear through anything it came in contact with but it was much more effective than normal fire as it couldn't be extinguished easily and would continue to burn for a while before dying out.

Drakon looked at her in surprise. "What kind of magic is that?"

"It is fire magic from my land." she explained. She had learnt to refer to her jutsu as magic. It would be too much trouble to try to make them understand the context of chakra and ninjutsu. What they called magoi and magic weren't that much different from chakra and jutsus, anyway.

"Do you think that you can perform it again?"

She nodded. "Drakon…...Don't you think this is kind of strange?"

"What do you mean?"

"Look at their attacking forces. They have numbers but, if you exclude that black mass, their attacks are weak and they do not put up much of a fight. A planned attack like this one should have been of a much bigger scale. We've been killing them for a while now and yet they have made no move to try and break our defenses. It almost seems as if they just want to keep us occupied….." Her eyes widened in fear as realization hit her and she gasped.

"Sakura? What's wrong?"

"Drakon…." she whispered fearfully as she gripped his arm. "Their real targets are Alibaba and Aladdin….This is just a decoy!"

XxxOxOxOxxX

"Katon: Gouka Hataka no Jutsu!"

Sakura panted slightly. Albeit effective, that jutsu took up much of her chakra and while she still had the chakra she had been storing for years in her Yin Seal, she didn't want to retort to using it just yet. The battle was still going on and she could never be sure when she would need it. The first four clones she had sent out had reported back and from what she had heard, things weren't that good. The black mass was advancing fast and had already started creeping up the shores, getting closer and closer to the barrier. She didn't know what sort of effect it would have on it but she prepared herself for the worst. At least two of her other clones had disappeared, having ran out of chakra, and while they had hindered the mass, they hadn't stopped it.

"Fall back!" she heard Drakon shout at the troops. "Take cover behind the barrier!"

"Damn it!" she cursed and followed the dragon-like General behind Yamraiha's barrier. And just in time, for no sooner had she jumped back than the black mass completely swallowed the rock she had been standing on.

"Drakon, this thing is travelling up the barrier! If it reaches the breach" she shouted, pointing at the hole Judar had created not too long ago "we are done for! We need to find a way to stop-" A scream from high above cut her off and made her look up just in time to see Yamraiha being attacked by the old man in the wheelchair.

"Yamraiha!" she yelled in panic but knew that it was futile. _'Damn it! She's too high up!'_ Her eyes widened when, suddenly, the spheres that had been flying around the old man began to fuse with his body. A sense of déjà vu hit her as she watched him transform into a black, scorpion-like creature with his upper body attached to the creature's back. The beast opened his mouth with energy gathering in its jaws before it directed it at Yamraiha. Sakura was just about ready to scream the young mage's name once more when she gasped in absolute surprise. The moment the creature's beam of energy was a second away from reaching Yamraiha, a mirror-like force field reflecting the colors of the rainbow appeared around the young mage, repelling the destructive attack and completely changing its course, directing it instead at the black mass creeping up the protective barrier around Sindria. Sakura felt hope well up inside her at the sight of the energy beam completely burning the black mass and clearing at least half of the barrier of the dark miasma. Her eyes shifted to Yamraiha's opponent, who had turned back to his original form. _'We still have to worry about him though…..'_ Red flashed in the corner of her eye and she turned her head to see Masrur coming to stand beside her. She sighed in relief. _'Thank God he's alright….Wait….Masrur!'_

Her calculating eyes shifted between the member of Al-Thamen above her and her own position on the cliff. _'Yes….It can be done!'_ She placed her hand on the Fanalis warrior's shoulder, making him look at her. "Masrur…" she said and motioned to the two figures floating above their heads. Apparently, her eyes were enough to make him understand what she was planning to do.

"Are you sure about it?" he asked her with the smallest amount of worry in his voice.

"I'm sure. Do you think you can make it?" she asked him with a challenging smirk and he flexed his muscles in answer. "Let's do this!" For the umpteenth time since meeting him, Sakura found herself marveling at the red-haired man's strength as he twirled her around before throwing her up towards Yamraiha and the old man. She drew her fist back with chakra gathering around it as she sailed through the air and she felt a spark of excitement at the pit of her stomach. The blue-haired water mage moved out of the way just in time.

The member of Al-Thamen never saw her coming. Her glowing fist easily tore through the old man's chest and it gave her a sick kind of pleasure to see his face get deformed by surprise and pain. Her fist broke through his ribcage, tearing muscle and snapping bones as he stared at her with wide eyes.

Her irises were blazing like hellfire as her gaze bore into pain-filled black eyes. She offered him a feral smirk as her fingers closed around his heart. "This is for Konoha and Sindria." She growled out before crushing his heart in her fist. He never got the chance to even release his death rattle. By the time she pulled her hand out of his chest, the light had already gone out of his eyes.

Sakura spat one time on the dead body before jumping down. She formed a series of hand seals before calling out "Suiton: Suiryuudan no jutsu!" The water dragon rose from the waves under her and the young kunoichi swiftly landed on its head with chakra pooling at her feet as the beast carried her to the shore. Washing the blood from her hand with a disgusted frown on her face, she jumped from its head and landed on solid ground beside Sharrkan before releasing the jutsu. She turned to the man with her relief at seeing him alive and well evident in her eyes.

The snow-haired man huffed and rolled his eyes at her. "Show-off."

Sakura smirked at her friend. "You're just jealous that I can kick your ass."

"In your dreams, Pinky."

"Remind me to settle this with a spar once all this is over..." she said with renewed hope in her heart. If they still had the will to make japes at a time like this, then things would get better. Because laughter was life and where there was life, hope would always find a way to rise from its ashes. A roar on their left drew both warriors' attention to Hinahoho, who was supporting a small boat filled with barrels on his thick arms. The huge Imuchakk warrior threw the wooden vessel with ease and the content of the barrels spilled all over the black mass as a dozen archers crushed them open with their arrows. Sakura realized it was oil when Drakon ignited it with his fiery breath, burning and effectively getting rid of a considerable amount of the dark miasma.

Sharrkan threw his fist in the air. "Now, that's what I'm talking about!"

No matter how much she wanted to share his positive aura, Sakura chose to remain more reserved. "Not so fast, Sharrkan. It might be working but the threat has not passed. If we want to wipe it out we need something very powerful….." The pink-haired woman closed her eyes and furrowed her brow. _'Think, Sakura! Think!'_

"Oi, Pinky, isn't that…"

Her eyes shot open and she looked up, emerald eyes widening in surprise. "The Kou Empire's Princess!" She stared at the woman in her strange armor as she floated high above their heads with the familiar sword of her Djinn Equip that she had used in her fight against Sakura held in her hands. The pink-haired woman vaguely heard her speak but she couldn't really be sure due to the distance separating them. Kougyoku swung her sword and it would be a lie to say that Sakura wasn't amazed by the tremendous tidal wave that rose around them, completely obliterating the remaining black mass. Slowly, she turned around to face her green-eyed friend, her now unclenched fists falling to her sides. For a while they just stared at each other silently, both of them finding it hard to believe that it was finally over.

"Sharrkan..." she breathed out, the tension in her muscles fading away. "We did it….We kept Sindria safe." She squealed in surprise and gripped his shoulders tightly when the tan-skinned man walked to her, lifted her in his arms and started twirling her around in joy.

"Of course we did it, Pinky!" he laughed. "Don't tell me that you doubted it even for a minute?" he said with a wide smile as he settled her on the ground once more.

Sakura huffed before smirking at the man. "No. But I can say that you did surprise me."

"Huh? Why?"

"I was almost sure that I would have to come and save your ass." she said and couldn't help the laugh the escaped past her lips at his pouting expression. However, the laughter died at her lips when she felt a pang of pain at her scar. She winced lightly and clutched the spot tightly. Sharrkan, noticing the change in demeanor, glanced at her worriedly.

"Sakura? Are you alright?"

She looked up at him with an expertly-placed fake smile. "I'm fine. Just tired. I had to use a lot of my energy during the fight but with a few hours of sleep I'll be fine. No need to worry." she said, brushing his worries aside.

"If you say so." he replied, not entirely convinced, but chose to keep silent. After spending so much time with the woman, he knew that unless she wanted to speak, he wouldn't get a word out of her.

Sakura smiled at him, though it was a bit strained. _'Why is it reacting now? Shouldn't it stay dormant now that we have defeated them?'_ she thought worriedly. _'This is not good…..The last time I felt it react like this was back in Balbadd…..We must have missed something…' _She winced when another pang of pain shot up her arm. The hair at the back of her stood on edge as she picked up a change in the air and a frighteningly familiar presence lingering around. The energy trail was faint but it was there. '_If someone is indeed out there I need to make sure that they don't do anything to threaten Sindria.'_ She fleetingly glanced at Sharrkan. _'But I can't worry the others. For all I know, this could just be me being paranoid…..' _But even as she thought that, deep down she knew that it was a big lie. Gritting her teeth, she turned around and began walking towards the trees.

"Oi, Pinky! Where are you going?"

She smiled at the snow-haired male. "It's nothing. I just need to be somewhere right now. Tell the others I'll be back shortly, alright?" Without waiting for a reply, she sped off inside the forest.

**TBC**

**Thank you for the wonderful reviews and the birthday wishes! (^.^) Only one chapter to go till the end, people! So, Sindria is saved but that doesn't mean that Sakura's perils are over! With her scar suddenly reacting to a presence only she can feel, she takes off to finally give an end to all this! I hope you liked the chapter! Coming up next is the much awaited confrontation with Ithnan and the grand finale so stay tuned! Until then…READ AND REVIEW!**

**Lots of love! **


	27. Chapter 27

By the time she broke through the trees, the sun had already set and night had fallen. Sakura pulled out a kunai and her clever emerald eyes immediately searched the secluded beach for any signs of the one she was looking for. All of her senses were on high alert and she tightened her hold on the hilt of her blade. _'He's here….I can feel him….'_

"So you did come, after all….."

Her kunai flew from her hands as soon as she heard his voice and she glared heatedly at the man. Her blade fell useless on the sand after being repelled by his force field and she quickly pulled out a second one from her pouch. "Ithnan….." she growled out.

"You remember my name? What an honor…" he said mockingly.

"What do you want?" she snarled. "Your accomplices are dead and your plan failed. You have lost."

Ithnan laughed, his crimson eyes glinting behind his checked mask. "You foolish woman…..It is true that the Kou Princess allying herself with you caught me off guard but I'm far from losing. In a while, King Alibaba will be my slave."

Sakura took a threatening step forward. "Over my dead body!"

"Brave words but that's all there is to them. After all, you are of no use to me dead. That's why I'm here. Tonight, I'm here for you."

"For me? What do you want with me?" Could it be that she would finally get the answers she so desperately wanted?

"You are a smart woman, Sakura. Do you really think that our Father would have brought you here if he hadn't plans for you?"

"What kind of plans could this 'Father' of yours have that would make him go through all the trouble to bring me here from my world?" she asked and while her face was a steely mask and her eyes were hard, her mind was reeling.

"The destruction of this world, of course."

Sakura's eyes widened at his words. _'Destruction…..?'_ She glared at him hotly. "Where do I fit in?"

He smiled at her cruelly. "You'll help us, of course. Actually, you are an important part of our plan."

"Am I?" Sakura chuckled humorlessly and pinned him with blazing emerald eyes. "I don't know whether you're delusional or downright crazy, but it'll be a cold day in Hell before I offer you anything but my blade logged in your heart."

He laughed and the sound of it made her skin crawl. "Our Father was right to bring you here."

"So you've said. The question is: why?"

Ithnan smirked. "To turn you into a Black Djinn, of course."

Sakura couldn't contain the gasp that fell from her lips. Her blood froze in her veins and her eyes widened as she stared up at the man floating a few feet above the surface of the sea. _'Turn me into….a Black Djinn?'_ "W-What?" She couldn't keep her voice from quivering. She had seen what it took to be turned into that dark demon and how the one turned lost not only their mind but their soul as well, no longer recognizing friend from foe and obeying those strong enough to control them.

"It took us quite a while to find you. The transition between two different worlds isn't easy even for us. But it was worth the wait. We felt your presence the moment we stepped into that barbaric world of yours. You and your leader stood out among others. Such raw power….." he explained and smirked at her, causing unpleasant shivers to run down her spine. "We knew that we wouldn't be able to get your leader so we chose you. It took us months of observing and careful planning. In the end, we managed to get you out of that village of yours."

Sakura's eyes grew wide. "The mission…"

"Indeed. That mission was the best cover for our plan. You are a clever woman, Sakura. You grew suspicious of me when I asked specifically for you to participate in the mission. That only proves that you were the right choice."

"But why? You deceived my leader and hurt my friends to get me! Why?" she yelled out angrily and hurled another kunai at him, only to have it repelled as well.

Ithnan floated at bit closer to her. "You possess an amazing power, Sakura. You are a Singularity in this world. The amount of magoi in your body comes second only to that of a Magi. The Djinn you saw in Balbadd is nothing compared to what you are going to be once we turn you. With a Black Djinn of such power under our control…..No one would be able to stand in our way!"

'_He must be referring to my Yin Seal.'_ she thought and glanced around, trying to find a route of escape should the situation call for it. Her senses were screaming at her that things were about to take a turn for the worse and she was alone on the other side of the island, away from any form of help with no one aware of her whereabouts. She cursed inwardly, wishing she had warned Sharrkan.

"What makes you think that I would ever accept to aid you in any way?" she asked him and sent him a glare that would have made most men quiver in their boots.

"It was never a matter of choice." he replied.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Why do you think we put that mark on you?" he said with a cruel smirk, making her glance down at the scar under her joint. Her eyes widened and fear flashed through her irises. _'That's why….That's why they marked me….In order to gain control over me…..'_

"You will now see the true power of our Great Father. It is time for you to surrender to darkness." he said laughing evilly and pointed his staff at her, dark energy already beginning to gather around in a frighteningly familiar display that brought back memories from many months ago. _'Wha-'_ Sakura screamed as Black Rukh flowed in her scar, running through her veins and burning like liquid fire. She clutched the spot in a futile attempt to dull the pain. She fell to her knees as searing pain spread throughout her body. _'W-what is happening to me?'_ Black Rukh swirled around her like a raging storm and she screamed as more of the dark energy flowed inside her. She fell forward, barely managing to keep herself up on shaky arms. Her eyes rolled in the back of her head…

XxxOxOxOxxX

"_You don't have to do this Sasuke! You don't have to be alone! You told me how painful it is to be alone. I understand that pain now. I have a family and friends….But if you are gone, Sasuke, to me it would be the same as being alone."_

"_This is a new beginning. For all of us…."_

"_I love you with all my heart! Stay and I promise you'll never regret it! Every day will be a joy! I'll do anything for you! I'll even help you get your revenge! So please! Stay! And if you can't…take me with you!"_

"_You haven't changed. You're still annoying." _

XxxOxOxOxxX

Ithnan laughed evilly. "Remember! Remember all your failures! Curse your fate!" he yelled, a storm of Black Rukh swirling around him.

XxxOxOxOxxX

"_I love you, Naruto." _

"_I hate people who lie to themselves."_

XxxOxOxOxxX

"No! Get out of my head!" Sakura managed to growl out with difficulty. Her head felt as if it was going to explode and she clutched it tightly. She tried to gather chakra to her fingers in an attempt to stop the pain but found herself unable to.

XxxOxOxOxxX

"_The Organization has already sent someone inside Zagan!"_

XxxOxOxOxxX

"_Ino! TenTen! No!" _

XxxOxOxOxxX

Her knees trembled and the pain grew greater as more and more Black Rukh gathered around her. _'No! I can't let him! I won't let him use me! I will not hurt them! I will not hurt them! I will not hurt them!'_ "I will not hurt them!" she screamed as loud as her pained throat allowed her.

'_You can start a new life here, you know. Sindria is a place you can call home.'_

Her eyes snapped open as Sinbad's voice along with his handsome smiling face flashed through her mind.

'_You are part of us now, Sakura.' _

'_Sakura-nee-san!'_

'_Sakura-san!'_

'_Oi, Pinky!' _

Her hear beat fast as the words of her friends echoed in her mind and their smiling faces filled her vision. Sinbad, Jafar, Masrur, Alibaba, Aladdin, Morgiana, Sharrkan…..Memories of everything they had been through together flooded her mind and she felt a new kind of strength bloom inside her. They were her precious people and they had placed their faith in her. And she would honor their trust. They opened their arms to her when she had no one else to turn to and accepted her when she was sure that they would shun her. It was by their side that she had found herself after having lost it and she was not willing to give all that up. Her heart was no longer beating just for herself. It was beating for _them_ as well. She couldn't let them down. She _wouldn't_ let them down.

She gritted her teeth and tried to push herself up with shaky arms. She stumbled forward, almost falling back down on the sand but caught herself just in time. She pushed her body up and despite her shaking knees, she managed to support her weight on her feet. For a moment her fingers curled around the scar under her joint before her hand fell to her weapons pouch, pulling out a kunai. She took an unsteady step forward and slowly raised her head. Her eyes blazed like hellfire as stunned crimson clashed with burning emerald.

Ithnan's eyes widened behind his mask when he saw the Black Rukh around her begin to recede until nothing remained. "H-How? No man has ever been able to break free from the Black Rukh's control!"

Feeling her strength returning to her limbs as the pain slowly faded away, Sakura glared at the robe-clad man. "You forget something important." she growled out. "I am no man!" She began gathering chakra to her fingers and her fist came alive with bright green light. She sent chakra to her feet, fully intending to give an end to all this with one decisive blow when, suddenly, a circle of light appeared above her head. She tensed, preparing herself in case this was another one of the Al-Thamen member's tricks. She gasped in surprise when she saw Sinbad appear through the circle.

"Hey there!" said a smiling Sinbad while pinning Ithnan with a piercing stare that made the robe-clad man step back, almost in fear. "You brought war to my Kingdom." said the purple-haired man and glanced at the woman watching them with wide eyes over his shoulder. "And you…You dared hurt Sakura." When he turned to the man, his eyes were glinting dangerously. "Don't tell me you think that you will escape alive."

Ithnan tensed and gritted his teeth in nervousness.

"Spirit of domain and submission, Focalor. Come to me." The silver bracelet on his right arm began to glow brightly and a raging wind spouted from the gem in the middle of it. Sakura had to cover her eyes from the sand swirling around her due to the wind but when she opened them her gaze landed on Sinbad and she just couldn't look away. Dark feathers covered various part of his body and an impressive golden collar adorned his neck, falling down to his bare chest that was covered with strange markings. His hair was longer and seemed darker and feather-like at the ends. A third eye had appeared on his forehead. _'Amazing…' _she thought in astonishment. She was broken out of her reverie by Ithnan's cruel chuckle.

"Idiot." the robe-clad man said. "If you conjure your magic armor in that state the spell will expand while your energy drains." Sakura's eyes widened in fear when the golden-eyed man winced and clutched his head in pain caused by the black miasma on his body.

"Very well." Ithnan smirked. "You will also endure our Father's power." Black Rukh swirled around his staff before flying to Sinbad, engulfing his stained left side.

"Sinbad!" screamed Sakura in panic and ran forward with every intention of jumping at his side. She was half-way through the hand seals for a Suiton when she was stopped dead in her tracks. A small sphere of both positive and negative energy appeared in front of Sinbad, absorbing the dark stain and completely removing it from his skin. One glance at Ithnan told her that the man was equally, if not more, stunned than she was.

"Dark Rukh?!" he gasped with eyes wide in surprise and fear.

Sinbad began to glow brightly as both light and darkness engulfed him. "Sadly, I was already cursed!" he said. "Your curse was not enough."

"Impossible!"

The King of Sindria smirked with a tornado of light in his right hand and one of darkness in his left. "Since Alibaba went to Zagan, I hadn't planned to use this spell until the end but…" he said and raise both his hands above his head, light and darkness mingling.

"You are already half-way to falling into depravity?!" All of Ithnan's previous confidence was gone to be replaced by fear and awe.

"Foraz Zora!" The enormous tornado that was created by the mixing of light and darkness was as destructive as it was awe-inducing. It hit Ithnan before the robe-clad man had the chance to react. Sakura could hear the Al-Thamen member screaming as the attack completely destroyed him but she felt no pity for him. Her eyes shifted to Sinbad once more. It was the most magnificent sight she had ever laid eyes on. _He_ was the most magnificent sight she had ever laid eyes on. She had always thought that nothing would ever be able to compare to Kaguya's appearance during the Fourth Shinobi War. She had always thought that after living through that, nothing would ever be able to make her breathing stop and cause fire to course through her veins. How naïve of her….Seeing Sinbad in his full Djinn Equip was like opening her eyes for the very first time. His powerful energy was pulsating around her as light and darkness mingled. _'This is what true, unadulterated power feels like…'_ He was the son of the Sun and the Moon, of Light and Darkness but most of all….He was the son of the vast Sea and the endless Oceans, the embrace of calm waters and the raging tempests of the open sea.

"The world doesn't need Al-Thamen in its future." said the King of Sindria before turning to glance at her. "And I need her in mine….."

He floated down and stepped on the sand, his Djinn Equip fading away and Sakura immediately ran to him, throwing herself in his arms. She buried her face in his chest as he tightened his hold around her waist and pulled her closer to him, burying his nose in her hair. She didn't know how long they just stood there, holding each other. She looked up when Sinbad pulled back slightly to smirk down at her.

"Isn't this where you start commenting on how brave I was?"

Seeing him joke like that, Sakura turned her head away and huffed. "Bravery is by far the kindest word for stupidity."

"Ouch. And here I thought-"

"If you do anything like that ever again, I'm going to kill you myself!" she said with a frown. Seeing him in pain was like being in pain herself. She'd rather be the one hurting than him. It was naïve, she knew. Feeling so strongly about a man….Someone would think that she would have learned her lesson by now. But this was not just any man. This was _Sinbad_. Well, the heart wanted what the heart wanted. And she had never been good at defying her heart.

Sinbad chuckled and dramatically placed a hand over his heart. "Dying by your hand….What a sweet death would that be!"

"You idiot!" she growled but in the next minute her eyes saddened. "I was scared Sinbad. So scared that I would lose you….." she whispered, her voice sounding weak and broken.

"Shhh….." he comforted her as he pulled her back against him. "Listen, Sakura. Listen to the waves…..The Sea is singing for us….." She leaned her forehead on his chest and closed her eyes, savoring the feeling of being held so protectively in his arms as he ran his fingers through her pink locks. The sound of the waves crushing on the beach reached her ears along with the sound of the wind blowing around them.

"You are a lot like the sea, Sakura." he said suddenly, making her glance up at him. "Beautiful like the waves under the setting sun." He placed a lingering kiss on her forehead where her diamond was. "Kind like the embrace of calm waters and yet wild and untamed like the raging tempests of the oceans." He kissed her right cheek. "The truth is that you were born to follow no King, not even me. Just like the sea. It doesn't matter who you are-rich or poor, king or peasant. On the waves, we are all equal. The sea will guide you where she wants, she will put you under her spell and hold on to you until she deems it's time to let you go." His mouth went to her other cheek. "You are like the sea, Sakura. And I…..I love the sea…" His lips touched hers. Her emerald eyes widened and for a moment she just stood there, frozen in place, not really believing what was happening, thinking that this was just a figment of her imagination. But when his arm tightened around her waist and his thumb began stroking her cheek, she felt her eyelids drop and she found herself falling deeper and deeper into sensations she had never felt before. It was real. _Everything_ was real. The kiss was slow and sweet and filled with a gentle passion she had never experienced before. Her hands found their way around his neck and she let her fingers tangle themselves in his hair. Their lips moved against each other in a slow sensual dance.

He pulled back slightly when the need for air became too great and leaned his forehead against hers. He stared deeply in those emerald eyes he had grown to adore and smiled at the woman he intended to worship for the rest of his life, if she allowed him to. He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her lips. "I love you, Sakura. More than I have ever loved anything or anyone else in my life."

The pink-haired woman's eyes widened at his words and for a moment she was sure that her heart would burst through her chest. She only realized that tears were running down her face when he cupped her cheeks to wipe them with his thumbs. His smile was so loving and tender as he smiled down at her that, if she hadn't already been oh-so in love with him, she would have fallen for him right then and there. "I love you too, Sinbad." she said once she found her voice and smiled up at him, still finding it difficult to believe that she wasn't just dreaming. But it was real…It was _real_…

Sinbad had never felt so much happiness in his life and he couldn't help the beaming smile that touched his lips. He pulled her tightly against him and buried his nose in her hair. The smell of sea salt mixed with her own unique sent was so alluring that it almost left him hypnotized. "You have no idea how I've longed to hear you say that….."

She buried her face in his broad chest in response. Cradled in his arms, she could feel his hot breath fanning her cheek like the soft caress of a feather. With her head buried in his muscular chest she could feel the steady beating of his heart. It was the heartbeat of the sea, of the oceans, of the moon shinning down on them, bathing them in silver light. It was the heartbeat of Sindria, of every man, woman and child. It was the heartbeat of the world. _Her_ world…He joined their lips again and it was tender and passionate and sweet, plunging her into an ocean of sensations. And as he lovingly whispered those three little words in her ear once more, it was indeed the sweetest melody she had ever heard in her life…

XxxOxOxOxxX

"Oi, Pinky, stop that. Your pacing is driving me crazy."

The woman pinned him with a glare. "Sharrkan?"

"Yes?"

"Shut up."

Sinbad chuckled and shook his head. "I have to agree with Sharrkan on that one, Sakura. Going mad with worry won't make them arrive faster."

Sakura sighed. "I really don't need this right now, Sinbad." The knot at her stomach tightened as the minutes went by and there was still no sigh of them. _'What happened? They should have been here by now…'_ she thought anxiously as she paced around the harbor of Sindria, where Sinbad along with her and his Eight Generals were patiently waiting for the Magi and his companions' return. _'They are taking too long….What if something happened on the way? What if…'_ Her face turned ashen. _'What if they never made it out of the dungeon?'_

Seeing her pale face and worry-stricken expression, Sinbad walked up to her and took her hand in his own, stroking it affectionately with his thumb. "Don't worry. Everything's going to be fine." He smiled reassuringly at her, though it did little to appease her fears.

"You say that as if it's easy. How can I not worry? Who knows what might have befallen them…..What if they are hurt? What if the Organization sent more people after them?" The more she thought about it the more worst-case scenarios her mind conjured up. "That's it. Give me a ship. I'm going to bring them back myself." she said determinedly and made a move to pull her hand away from his own. However, Sinbad didn't budge. He intertwined his fingers with hers and tightened his hold on her as he pulled her back and hugged her waist from behind, not caring that they had an audience. "Calm down." he said soothingly and, after a couple more minutes of tension, felt her relax slightly against him.

Sakura sighed heavily and leaned back on his chest. "I really wish I had something to do to keep my mind off things. Just sitting here waiting is killing me."

"Is that so? Then by all means, do dedicate your time to me." he whispered in her ear, sending shivers down her spine and making her blush. She was painfully aware of his hands on her waist and his lips caressing her skin. Her mind immediately flew to their passionate kisses on the beach not too long ago and she felt her body heat up. Pisti's voice broke her out of her trance and she was thankful for the distraction.

"Look! A ship!"

Sakura's head snapped up at those words and her eyes widened. "It's their ship!" Her emerald irises never left the wooden vessel as it tore through the waves, drawing closer and closer to port. Despite the flicker of hope at seeing their ship, her fears were anything but appeased. The ship alone meant nothing. It was the passengers that she was worried about. And while the return of the vessel meant that at least one, if not more, of them had made it out alive, that wasn't a comforting thought.

It took all of her will power not to just push chakra to her feet and run on the waves, all the way to the ship. The minutes ticked by at an agonizingly slow rate and Sakura was really close to biting her nails off in anxiousness. The moment the ship reached port, she shut her eyes tightly, suddenly afraid to watch. What if not all of them had returned? Soon, the painters were tied to the posts and the sound of the gangplanks being placed reached her ears. _'Calm down, Sakura. Breath in, breath out. Breath in, breath-' _

"Sinbad-ojisan! Sakura-nee-san!"

Her eyes snapped open at the sound of that voice and she covered her mouth with her hand to keep herself from screaming out in relief. Because there, disembarking the ship and waving at them happily, were Alibaba, Aladdin and Morgiana followed by Prince Hakuryuu. Alive and well and smiling. Her children were back! She broke free from Sinbad's grip, running to them as soon as they stepped on solid ground and engulfed all three of them in a bone-crushing hug with tears of relief running down her cheeks. She cupped each of their faces with her hands, kissing their foreheads before pulling them in for another tight hug.

"Thank God, thank God, thank God….." she repeated again and again as she tightened her hold on them.

"S-Sakura! You're c-choking us!" said Alibaba but judging by the wide grin on his face, he didn't really mind.

"I don't care." replied Sakura. "That's it. I'm not letting you three out my sight ever again." she said, earning chuckles from the three youths in her arms and giggles from Pisti and Yamraiha, who were watching from a few feet away along with the other Generals.

"Oi, Pinky! Quit hogging the attention of my student!"

"You can't even compare, Shar. I've been looking after _your student_ far longer than you have."

"Invalid argument! I'm a man and his swordplay teacher, therefore I have priority, woman!"

Sakura's arms fell from around the three youths and she turned to the white-haired man. "We can always settle this with a spar. Just don't run off crying when I kick your ass, you lame excuse of a swordsman." she said, cracking her knuckles.

Sharrkan stared at her wide-eyed before scowling. "Unforgivable! You insulted my skills!"

Sakura smirked. "What skills?"

"That's it! You're dead!"

"Bring it on, princess!"

Sinbad smiled from his place between Drakon and Hinahoho as he amusedly watched the bickering between his General and his woman. His woman…..It was nice finally being able to call her that. _His…_.

"So, Sinbad…" started Hinahoho, nudging his King in his side with a knowing, lopsided grin on his face. "You and the lass, huh? Good choice. She's a keeper!" said the huge Imuchakk warrior, his boisterous laughter filling the air around them.

Sinbad smiled, his golden eyes never leaving the form of the woman he planned on never letting go. He walked forward, glancing over his shoulder at the blue-haired General. "You know Hinahoho, I think I'm ready to take you up on your advice." His eyes turned to Sakura as he walked up to her and extended his hand at her with a loving smile. The woman looked up at him in surprise, the emerald eyes he loved shifting between his face and his hand. A moment later her features softened and she offered him a breathtaking smile before intertwining her fingers with his. It was much more than just a gesture of affection. It was an invitation; an invitation to a brand new beginning. '_Together_….'

'_Life will never be the same again. I can't wait to spend the rest of mine with you…' _

**THE END**

**Note: When Sinbad tells Hinahoho that "he thinks he's ready to take him up on his advice", he is referring to Hinahoho telling him to settle down, get married and have children.**

**Note2: While I was writing the scene where Sinbad defeats Ithnan, I was listening to "Magi: Kingdom of Magi OST 19-L'Arabesque Sindria." Talk about being on a Focalor high! So, do try reading that part with that soundtrack playing along. Foraz Zora + Kingdom of Magic OST 19 = Pure epicness! Trust me, it's a foolproof equation to awesomeness! **

**Note3: I'm sorry if Sinbad is a bit too OOC in this chapter. After all, I don't think that we'll ever see him actually be all romantic and stuff in the manga or anime. But he had to make a confession, didn't he? And there was no way I was making him say 'I love you' just like that! They had to go out with a bang!**

**It was on June the 19****th**** that I uploaded the prologue to "And so the Sea began to Sing". Now, exactly three months later, this story has reached its end. I would like to thank all of you for reading, following, adding this story to your favorites and for all your wonderful reviews. They really made me even more determined to see this story to its end. I have to admit that I am going to miss writing this. It was one of the most interesting projects I have ever worked on and every minute I dedicated to writing it was a minute well spent. I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I did and that the ending concluded the story nicely without leaving any unanswered questions. I had the ending planned out since I started writing the story three months ago. I didn't know where this crossover would take me but I just knew that it would end this way. So, I hope that you found the ending fulfilling. I hate to announce that this probably won't have a sequel following the second season. It wouldn't have worked out since the gang got separated in season 2. I know that I would never be able to decide who I should send Sakura with. Because let's face it-She would have never agreed to stay back. BUT-and this is a huge 'but'-this doesn't mean that I will stop writing SinbadXSakura or MagiXSakura crossovers in general! I did say that I am considering a JudarXSakura one, didn't I? Also, if any of you have any Magi character you would like to see Sakura with, do tell me and I might give it a go if I have the time! **

**Thank you again for supporting this story and for staying with me till the end of a wonderful three-month journey. I hope to hear from all of you soon!**

**Lots of love!**


	28. Bonus Chapter

The sound of feet hitting the floor echoed on the walls of the palace of Sindria as the young eight-year-old ran through the hallways, his long purple ponytail swaying wildly behind him.

"Coming through!" he yelled as he took a sharp left turn, barely avoiding crushing into a couple of guards that were doing their usual rounds through that part of the palace. He rushed past them, completely ignoring their calls.

"Prince Kayden!" shouted the older of the guards in a futile attempt to slow him down and sighed when the boy disappeared around another corner.

"Who do you think he's running from this time?" asked the second guard in amusement. After all, the sight of their young prince running throughout the palace was a rather common one, not to mention a source of amusement for the guards. The boy was witty and bright, always with a smile on his face and constantly up to something.

The older of the two shrugged. "How should I know?" He chuckled. "Heh, like father like son…"

XxxOxOxOxxX

The young boy glanced over his shoulder as he ran through the hallway. There was no one behind him but he knew better. His pursuer had definitely not given up the hunt and was probably waiting for the right time to strike. He raised his eyes up ahead and beamed at the sight of the familiar door that also marked his salvation. He willed his legs to go faster and burst through the door, not caring to knock.

"Dad! Save me! I need to hide!"

Sinbad looked up from the documents in his hands in surprise and glanced at his son, who was staring up at him with frantic green eyes.

"Kayden? What's wrong?"

"You have to help me hide! Mom's gonna kill me!"

Sinbad chuckled as his son ran around his office in a search of a hiding place. He put a hand on the boy's shoulder to stop him and picked him up. "Ok, buddy. Calm down and tell me. What did you do this time?"

"I didn't do anything!" the purple-haired youth defended himself while panting hard from all the running.

Sinbad sent his son a pointed look. "Kayden…"

The little boy looked away. "Ok, I might have done something….."

"There you are!"

Both males turned around at the sound of that voice and little Kayden immediately tried to hide deeper in his father's embrace. For there, tapping her foot on the floor with a stern expression on her face, stood the Queen of Sindria in all her glory, Haruno Sakura. The woman walked inside the room with her emerald eyes never leaving the form of her son hiding in her husband's arms. She came to stand in front of them and crossed her arms across her chest.

Taking the hint, Sinbad settled his son on the ground and took a step back but not before flashing his wife a grin. Sakura was the most loving and affectionate of mothers but when it came to their boy behaving and staying safe, she could be pretty strict about her rules.

The pink-haired woman held her son under her scrutinizing emerald eyes, watching him shift uncomfortably on his feet, refusing to look at her.

"Kayden, look at me." she ordered sternly.

Hesitantly, the young boy raised his eyes and took an involuntary step back when he was met with his mother's frown.

"What have I told you about going inside Auntie Yamraiha's lab?"

The young Sinbad look-alike mumbled something under his breath, his fingers playing with his sleeves, completely unlike his usual energetic self.

"I can't hear you."

The little boy blushed, scratching the back of his head like he always did when he was nervous, a trait he had inherited from his father among many others. "That I mustn't go inside unless Auntie Yamraiha is with me….."

"Then why did you go?" asked Sakura, leaning closer to her son with her hands on her hips.

Kayden looked up at him mother. "But mom! Auntie promised that she'd take me there today and then she didn't show up and I really wanted to go and-"

"Don't throw excuses at me!" Sakura cut him off. "You could have gotten hurt, Kayden!"

The eight-year-old crossed his arms stubbornly across his chest. "Yeah right! I'm not a baby anymore! I know how to take care of myself!"

"Your mother's right, Kayden." interjected Sinbad, placing a hand on the stubborn boy's purple hair. "Auntie Yamraiha has a lot of stuff in there that can prove dangerous for someone who doesn't know how to use them. We both know that you are capable of taking care of yourself but accidents happen. What would mom and I do if you got hurt?"

The emerald-eyed boy stared up at his father in surprise before lowering his gaze to the ground. A pair of fingers lifted his chin and he found himself gazing in his mother's gentle green eyes as she kneeled in front of him.

"We don't like scolding you, Kayden. But we only do it because we love you and don't want anything bad to happen to you. Mom and dad only want to see you safe and happy." She cupped her son's cheek and began stroking it with her thumb. "Do you understand?"

The little boy nodded making Sakura smile. "That's my boy! Now, give mommy a big kiss!" she said and opened her arms. The purple-haired youth circled his arms around her neck and gave her a sloppy kiss on the cheek making her giggle.

"Now, promise me that you won't go inside Auntie Yamraiha's lab unless she is with you." she added when the boy pulled back from her embrace.

The young boy couldn't help the pout that appeared on his face and Sakura fought down the urge to just glomp him right them and there. Her son was just too cute for his own good. "But Auntie Yamraiha always hides all the cool stuff when she takes me with her!"

"Kayden…" warned Sakura with a pointed look. "What did we just say?"

"Alright, alright! I promise. Can I go play with Uncle Drakon now?"

Sinbad smiled widely and ruffled his son's hair. "I think he's learnt his lesson. Don't you think, Sakura?" he said, flashing his wife another grin.

The pink-haired woman smiled. "I think he has." She kissed her son's forehead and gave his cheek an affectionate pinch. "Go on, sweetheart, have fun. And don't forget to annoy your Uncle Sharrkan for me, will you?" she yelled after him as the little boy ran out of the room and closed the door behind him, eager to go find Drakon, who-surprisingly-had developed a soft spot for his King and Queen's adventurous son. The woman sighed and shook her head. "I swear, he becomes more and more like you every day that passes." she said as she walked up to her husband and circled her arms around him neck.

"And how is that a bad thing?" asked Sinbad with a raised eyebrow as he settled his hands on his Queen's waist.

"Don't get me started on that." she answered with giggle and leaned in to kiss him on the lips. Sinbad immediately tightened his hold on her waist and deepened the kiss before starting to trail kisses down her neck.

"What do you want me to get you this year?" she asked suddenly.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"The Anniversary of the Foundation of Sindria is coming up in a couple of weeks."

"Oh, that…."

"Yeah, that." she said as she began to play with the hair at the base of his neck. "I figured that I'd ask you a bit earlier this year so I can get everything ready by that time. It is no easy thing to pick out a present for a King, you know."

"You and Kayden are the only presents I need." he replied, kissing her bare shoulder.

"Oh no. You are not seducing your way out of this, mister." she said, slapping the back of his head lightly.

"I am trying to do no such thing." he replied, feigning offense as he continued to leave butterfly kisses on her skin.

"Yeah right. You just want to forget that another year is passing and you are getting older." said Sakura and smirked inwardly when his lips froze on her skin. It was nothing but a momentary hesitation of his lips, barely noticeable-Sinbad was an expert when it came to maintaining a poker face-but she knew better. She had hit a nerve…..

"I'll have you know that I have no problem with my age….."

Sakura raised an eyebrow, sending him a look that clearly said 'are-you-kidding-me' before running her fingers through his long purple ponytail. "What is this? A white hair?"

Sinbad froze. "What? Pluck it out right-" he began to say but caught himself just in time. "Oh no! I'm not falling for that a second time."

Sakura threw her head back and laughed as she remembered her husband's face when she had told him that he had white hair. The look of horror on his face made her laugh every single time she recalled that particular prank. It still caused laughter and giggles among the Eight Generals, especially Jafar and Sharrkan who had been present. "Admit it. It was funny as hell."

"Don't push it….."

Sakura giggled and gave him a peck on his lips. "Seriously now, what do you want me to get you? It is already bad enough that the Royal Family from Kou will be joining us again this year. You have no idea how difficult it is to please those people. I have preparations to make and you know I don't like last-minute situations."

Sinbad sighed and tightened his hold on his wife's waist. "You won't stop asking until I tell you, right?"

"Of course. You know me too well, my King." answered the pink-haired woman with a wide smile and focused her eyes on her husband's face.

For a while Sinbad had a thoughtful expression on his face and Sakura was about to give him a nudge to snap him out of it when he beat her to it. All of sudden, a smirk bloomed on his lips, making Sakura raise an eyebrow. After ten years of marriage she knew the purple-haired man like the back of her hand and that smirk only meant that he had something in mind. And more often than not, that something involved her as well.

"Then…." he trailed off and Sakura squealed in surprise when he turned her around and pressed her up against his desk. The passionate kiss that followed caught her slightly off guard but she quickly found herself responding with equal fervor, her fingers tangling themselves in his hair. He traced her jaw with his lips, leading up to her ear while his hands guided her legs around his waist. He nipped on her earlobe, making her shiver.

"I want a daughter."

Sakura looked up at him in surprise before releasing a breathy laugh. "Then we should get to work." she purred in his ear, watching him through half-lidded eyes. Ten years of marriage and those enticing emerald eyes could still make his heart race. He attacked her neck with his lips, sucking on her sensitive spots while his fingers made quick work of undoing the laces keeping her dress together as her own hands released his shoulders from his robes.

"Sinbad, what if Jafar walks in on us again?" she murmured against his lips, glancing at the door over his shoulder.

"No need to worry about that. I sent him to run some errands around the harbor. It'll be a while before he returns." answered the man before re-focusing his attention on her neck, trailing lower with his lips as she moaned and dug her nails in the flesh of his bare back, making him hiss in pleasure.

…

…

…

"Sin, there is a document I need you to-For God's sake, learn to lock the damn door!"

**THE END**

**I just couldn't resist! I mean, a reviewer suggested the idea and it's been on my mind since that day, so I thought I'd give it a go. I knew exactly what I wanted to write so it didn't take me long to finish this and that's why I uploaded it so quickly. Well, Sinbad is now a married man and a daddy! Who would have thought! I really think that he'd make a great father! Kayden is one lucky kid to have Sinbad and Sakura for parents, don't you think? XD And now that I think about it, the life of King Sinbad, Queen Sakura and Prince 'Daredevil' Kayden is not a bad idea for a series of one-shots showing parts of their everyday lives. Hmmm… But I feel sorry for poor Jafar…He already had Sinbad to 'babysit' and it appears that his Queen is not much better! And with a Prince showing more and more signs of Sinbad-ness(?)…. Lol I hope you enjoyed this Bonus Chapter! Thank you again for supporting this story and for all your wonderful reviews! I've already started working on your requests, so expect new one-shots very soon! Hope to hear from all of you soon! **

**Lots of love!**


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